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THE

CHINESE RECORDER

AND

Missionary Journal

-— VOLUME XXXIX..

505857

2.4- "5 . so

.Shanghai :
PRESBYTERIAN MISSION PRESS.

J908.

^oroa^

ILLUSTRATIONS.

3V/0
»/ 39

„ April

Two Sainted Pastors of the American Pres- J

byterian Mission in the Chehkiang >• Frontispiece to January number.

Province )

Right Rev. Bishop Moule, D.D Facing p. 103.

Nestorian Tablet Frontispiece to March ,,

The West China Missionary Conference at |

Ch'engtu f

First Ordained Presbyterian Ministers of

the Korean Church

^^'"shlh^ka'"'°'^ Statesman :^ H. E. Yuan | Frontispiece to May

The New Wylie Memorial Church at Iviao- I p^gjjj„ „ jg-
yang ) ^^' ^'

Choir

Foocho\

>■ Facing p.

182.

>och?w^^'..!^°"^!^ ^^r^^ ^^'*'''!!: [Frontispiece to June

Shanghai Baptist College i ^^^^^ ^ Ground. Facing p. 347.
and Theological }--t^„^.„„ „„„ ^5 f7^

<:^ . I Yates Hall ... ,, p. -^48,

Seminary ) >i i- .jt

Graduating Class of Hangchow College ... ,, p. 350.

Language Study Class at Ruling ) Frontisoiece to Tulv

Language School at Kuling ^ i^ rontispiece to J uly

Burning of Opium Pipes and Apparatus at "j

Chang Su-ho's Garden, Shanghai, from I p j o.

one of the largest opium houses in the j & F- o 4«

French Settlement J

Opening of the American Presbyterian Hos- )

p. 407.

pital, Chenchow, Hunan...

Chinese Y. M. C. A. Conference, Shanghai, ) „ ... ^ .

jtilyii-ig ... _; ^Frontispiece to August

H. E. Tuan Fang Facing p. 421.

Union Medical College Building, Peking. Frontispiece to September ,,

Dr. Y. S. Li and Family Facing p. 505.

Border of Grounds and View to Westward of )

the new College Grounds of the Amer- >• Frontispiece to October , ,

ican Presbyterian Mission, Hangchow. )
View of River Frontage from the new College )

Grounds of the American Presbyterian >• Facing p. 566.

Mission, Hangchow )

The Late Calvin W. Mateer, D.D Frontispiece to November ,,

Company of Revisers of the Mandarin New It?- r

Testament [ Facing p. 630.

The Imperial Throne of China Frontispiece to December ,,

Boys' Boarding-school, American Presby- I « • ac

terian Mission, Siangtan, China ... \ facing p. o»o.

INDEX TO VOL XXX1X.-1908.

Page.

Apologetic of the Early Christian Church in Contact with the Heathen

World, The Rev. W. Nelson Ritton. 82

Axioms of the Spiritual Life ... Rev. Wili^iam Arthur Cornaby. 421

Blaikie, Rev. Garden, M. A., with Portrait— In Memoriam 696

Book Table ... 44. 100, 158, 223, 277, 342, 405. 458. 5i5. 577. 636, 704
Centenary Conference Committees and Their Work, The.

Rev. G. H. BONDFIELD. 493, 566

Chinese Pastors, The Famine of Rev. R. M. MateER. 539

Christian Apologetic for China, The Rev. G. W. Shhppard. 680

Commercial Situation in 1907, The 38

Consensus of Student Opinion on Language Study, A... J. W. Crofoot. 375

" Consider", "Remember" ... Rev. P. J. Maci^Agan, M.A., Ph.D. 429

Co-ordination in Christian Education ... Rev. D. Z. SHEFFIELD, D.D. 305

Correspondence. 41, 97, 155. 221, 272, 336, 402, 453, 510, 574, 633, 701

Diary of a Journey Through " East Tibet " Edw. Amundsen. 86

Dragon's Awakening, The Rev. E. I. Doty. 205

Editorial Comment ...I, 61, 117, 175, 237, 297, 357, 413,. 471, 531, 589, 649

Educational Mission Work in and near Amoy ... Rev. H. W. Oldham. 310

Educational Progress of the Year 1907 ... Rev. F. L. Hawks Pott, D.D. ii

Evangelical Allliance — Suggested Topics for Universal and' United Prayer. 698
Evangelism in Relation to the Growth of the Chinese Church.

Rev. D. Macgillivray. 560

Evangelistic Work in Hunan Rev. Gilbert G. Warren. 548

Federation in Shantung Rev. E. W. Burt, M.A. 483

Federation in the Province of Chihli Rev. W. S. AmENT, D.D. 479

How can Christianity best attest itself to the Chinese Mind?

Rev. D.Willard Lyon, M.A. 78

Hun Yuen Men, The Rev. JAMES Inglis. 270

Imperial Edicts of 1907 28

Kuling Language School, The. — Its Methods and Results.

Rev. W. E. Taylor, M.A., Ph.D. 384

Lambeth Conference, The Bishop W. W. CASSELS. 622

Last Phase of Chinese Patriotism and Its Influence on the' Work of

Evangelization, The Rev. P. F. Price. 20

Lechler, Rev. R.— In Memoriam C. R. HagER, M.D., D.D. 628

Lessons Learned in Translating the Bible into Mandarin.

Rev. C. W. MatEER, D.D., LL.D. 603

Li. Dr. Y. S.— In Memoriam Rev, and Mrs. J. WoodbERRY. 505

Mateer, A Tribute to Dr.— In Memoriam Dr. W. A. P. Martin. 694

Mateer, The Rev. C. W., D.D.— An Appreciation. Rev. F. W. BallER. 630

Methods of the Chinese Church in Evangelism, The. Rev. F. P. Joseland. 553

Missionaries as Amenable to Chinese Law. Rev. GILBERT REID, D.D. 676

Missionary and His Relation to the Treaties, The ...Rev. D. E. Hoste. 671

Missionary Journal. 60, 116, 173, 236, 296, 356, 412, 470, 530, 5S8, 647, 712

Missionary News. 53, iii, 165, 231, 285, 346, 406, 463, 523. 581, 640, 709

iv Index.

Page.
Mission Federation. Chihli Provincial Council. „ Rev. F. B. Turn£;r. 502

Mohammedanism in Nanking.— Notes on a Winter's Reading. Observa-
tions and Conversations among the Moslems.

Rev. WlUi^lAM RACON PetTUS, B.A. 305, 448

Month, The 57. 170, 234, 293, 354, 410, 468, 528, 646, 711

National Church of India, A Rev. H. McNeil.^, M.A. 486

Nestorius and the Nestorian Mission in China.

Rev. W. S. PACKENHAM WAI.SHE;, B.A. 125, 197

Nosu and Miao Rev. S. Por,i,ARD. 214

Oldham, Mrs. H. W.— In Memoriam Rev. John Watson. 697

On Mastering the Form and Use of the Most Frequent Words in the

Mandarin Language Rev. D. W11.1.ARD Lyon, M.A. 390

On the Revision of the Mandarin New Testament.

Rev. Frank MAdKi^Ey, M.A. 135
Ordinary Missionary, The— A Superfluity ? Rev. F. W. S. 0'Nmi.i., M.A. 499
Our Duties as Missionaries in View of the Recent Developments and

Changes in China. I.— Rev. A. H. Smith, D.D 245

II.— Rev. Thomas W. PBArce,— A New Creed and Practice 247

III, Rt. Rev. F. R. Graves, D.D. , — Understanding and Readjustment, 252

Place of Joy and Thanksgiving in Missionary Work, The.

Rev. C. Goodrich, D.D. 426

Preaching at Fairs and Theatricals Rev. J. Goforth. 543

Present Duty in China Rev. J. C. Gibson, M.A., D.D. 615

Present Policy and Needs of the Christian Periodical Press in China, The.

Rev. J. C. Garritt. D.D. 597
Problem of Modernism in Our Mission Work, The ... Rev. Wm. DeanS. 259
Progress of Moral Reform in China during 1907. Rev. G. F. FiTCH, D.D. 9

Progress of the Anti-opium Movement among the Chinese, The 143

Recent Progress in the Preparation of Christian Literature.

Rev. DoNAi,i> Macgii.i,ivray, M.A. 15
Revised Mandarin Version of the New Testament, The.

Rev. A. Syd^nstrickbJr. 194, 266

Revival in Manchuria, The Rev. G. H. Bonbfiei^d. 330

Ricketts, Catharine Maria.— In Memoriam. Rev. John C. Gibson, D.D. 217

Sanctuary, The 244, 304, 364, 420, 478, 538, 586, 596

Shantung Protestant University Scheme, Notes on the Proposed.

Rev. P. J. Bruce, M.A. 326
Some Principles which should guide the Missionary in his Study of the

Chinese Language Rev. A. SydenSTRICKER. 3^5

Teaching of Jesus the Best Apologetic for China, The.

Rev. C. Wii,rRED Ai,LAN. 69
Their Imperial Majesties The Emperor and Empress - Dowager of

China.— In Memoriam Rev. W. NELSON BiTTON. 691

Theological Education in the Far East, The Future of.

Rev. W. NELSON BiTTON. 316

Trade School for Destitute Boys Rev. D. T. Huntington. 322

Training and Qualifications of the Literary Worker, The.

Rev. F. W. BALI.ER. 609
Treaty Protection to Christian Missions in China.

Rev. D. Z. Sheffield, D.D. 657
West China Conference at Ch'engtu, The ... Rev. A. H. Smith, D.D. 183

West China Missionary Conference, The Second. Rev. J. L. StEWARX. 186
Witnessing Church and Her Divine Equipment, The.

Right Rev. A. TuCKER, D.D. 436

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THE CHINESE RECORDER

AND MISSIONARY JOURNAL

Published Monthly by the American Presbyterian Mission Press,
18 Peking Road, Shanghai, China

Editorial Board.*

Rev. G. F. F'lTCH, d.d., Editor-in-chief.

Rev. W. N. BiTTON. Rev. W. T. Hobart, d.d. Rev G. F. Moshhr.

,, A Foster. ,, D W. Lyon. Prof. Lacev SiTKS.

,, J. C. Garritt, d.d. ,, D. MacGili.ivray. Rev. A. H. Smith, d.d,

,, J, C. Gibson, d.d. Mr. G. McIntosh.

VOL. XXXIX JANUARY, 1908 NO. 1

Editorial Comment.

The Recorder is the organ of the Missionary body in

China ; that missionary body exists for the purpose of estab-

_ ^ ^ lishing- the Kingdom of God among this

;rbe TRccorDcr anJ) , /ta, t r*i t, \^

_ , people. The policy of the Recorder, there-

fore, in the future as in the past, shall be

to further, in every possible way, the evangelization of the

Chinese. The means to be employed in the carrying out of

this policy may be briefly stated as follows : —

(i). To stimulate thought and prayer upon the principles,
problems and methods of mission work among the Chinese people.

(2). To enlist missionaries in a scientific investigation of
all aspects of Chinese life and thought which bear upon the
missionary enterprise.

(3). To keep the missionary body in close touch with the
progress of Christian missions to the Chinese and to suggest
lines of advance.

* * *

We trust our readers will be pleased with the new arrange-
ment of editorial and other matter in this the

„ .„ , nrst issue under the new re»ime, althouo:h It may

Ittew l^egime. . . , * , ^ ■

not seem quite natural to turn to the first page

for what they have been accustomed to find near the close of

* The following persons have also been requested to act with the above,
but have not yet been heard from ;— Bishop Casskhs, Rev. J. P. BRUCE aud
Rev, d; B. Hoste.

2 The Chinese Recorder [January

the magazine. While the Educational Department, as such, is
discontinued, it does not mean that the cause of education will
not receive the wonted attention ; but it will not, for the present
at least, be represented by a separate department.

"The Month " will correspond somewhat to the old " Diary
of Events," but will be fuller, and prove, we trust, not only an
interesting resume of important events of the month, but a
valuable record for reference as well.

* * *

If a country could be reformed and regenerated by Imperial
Edict, then China should be one of the most striking examples

of a nation wonderfully transformed within a year,
imperial ^^ witness the Edicts as delineated by Prof. Sites

in this current issue. Doubtless, however, they are
expressive of more or less good intention, and we can but be
thankful for even this much. But the process, however glibly
the wording of the Edicts details the reforms necessary and how
to be attained, must be a slow and in many respects a painful
one. Four hundred millions of people are not to be changed
in a day nor a year, nor in several years. Many crude experi-
ments will be made and sad failure ensue, as witness many of
the abortive educational schemes. Trustworthy officials are scarce
and not to be created on the spur of the moment. Constitutional
government will require the education and development of the
people. They are far from being ready for it at present. The
wheels of progress will often drag heavily, and infinite patience
and skill will be required to accomplish all that is to be desired.

* * *

The missionary is, and must necessarily be, a student
of God's Will. In proportion as he apprehends the fulness
^be /lBi66ionar« anO °^ ^"' commission is he eager to dis-
Currcnt Ibietor^. ^^^'^^ ^"^ understand every shaft of light
which reveals that gracious Will. As
a student of the Scripture records he is earnest and honest,
persevering and prayerful. As a student of men he seeks
that intimacy of fellowship which gives him access to the
secret place of the heart and enables him to read with a
brotherly sympathy what is written there. As a student of
current history he recognizes no dividing line between
"sacred" and "secular," but delights to look for the
Guiding Hand of His Almighty and All- Wise Father in each

19o8] Editorial Comment 3

event. He is interested not alone, though of course primarily,
in the progress of the enterprise of evangelisation. To his
devout and attentive mind commerce and reform, politics and
education are also full of divine revealings. The attempt is
made, therefore, in this the first issue of another year, to furnish
such a survey, brief though it may be, of the various lines of
progress in China during recent months as will enlarge the
vision and strengthen the faith of every true missionary. It
is no easy task to mark the hidden rocks and shifting shoals
which threaten the safety of China's ship of state. It is still
more difficult to define the direction and force of the many
currents, whether above the surface or beneath, which unite to
impede and disturb her progress. But the Ruler of Nations
is working out her highest good ; it is for us to watch the
process in order that we may work together with Him in the
accomplishment of His Best Will.

During the proceedings of Conference some doubt was

expressed as to the actual working value of the sentiment

^ , ^ of union evidenced so frequently and in so

Conference anD ... \ ^ ^,

^ , many ways during its sessions. There were

^nion.

present delegates from the home lands, who

stated their fear that the missionaries on the field were at-
tempting too much or at least were in too great a hurry.
One reporter in sending copy to a home paper voiced this
opinion somewhat bitingly in the phrase ' Conference has
formed a United Church for China by passing a pious
resolution.'' We are thankful to see that this pious reso-
lution marked a considerable step forward on the road to
the realization of that higher and greater than organic
union, the unity of the Spirit into which the members of
all the churches are baptized. The Christian world was
evidently waiting with deep desire the lead that Conference
gave. In our last issue we noted the attitude of the General
Convention of the Episcopal Church in the U. S. A., and since
that time news has come of the remarkable demonstration held
in London to celebrate the Morrison Centenary. Ten thousand
persons are said to have been present at this gathering and
twice that number to have applied for tickets of admission.
Leading members of the Anglican, Presbyterian, Congregational,
Baptist, and Wesleyan Methodist communions took part in the

4 The Chinese Recorder [January

meeting and letters of cordial sympathy were received from the
Archbishop of Canterbury and Sir Ernest Satow. The chief
speeches of the evening were made by the Rev. Lord William
Cecil and the Rev. Dr. Wardlaw Thompson, both of whom
were fresh from their experience of the Shanghai Conference.

Sir Ernest Satow in his letter to the meeting referred to
the work of the Conference in these terms : — " In the Far East
the Church of England and the Free Churches
public Comments ^^^^ ^ ^^^^ ^^ ^.^^^ ^^^^.^ differences in the
on tbe •QllorR ot r .i ^ ^^r 1/1 ^1 4-
tbe conference. Presence of the common foe. Would that
we at home could follow their example."
Commenting upon this great meeting the Londo7i and
China Express observed that "the recent Conference in
Shanghai and now this great united gathering in the metro-
polis at home, in which twelve societies workmg in China
took part, are the first welcome signs that the Anglican
Church and the Free Churches mean to sink their differ-
ences Such a step cannot but tend to raise missions

in the eyes of many outside observers as well as of the
Chinese nation itself." It must be the constant care of those
who began this good work to see to it that in practice the
high ideal is made working real.

^ ^ JfC

We are happily not without evidence that behind the

discussions of Conference on this theme lay an intense earnest-

_ _ ness of purpose. It will be remembered

Some proven IResuIts ,1 . 1 1 ,- r ., r^ c

« . ^ , . ^^ , that by resolution of the Conference a

ot tbe Spirit of IHnfon. .f^ ^ ^ ,, , . . ^ ,

committee ot fellowship was appointed

to assist the Chinese church of Tokyo in its quest for a
suitable pastor and to do its best to make that church
a representative of the Protestant missionary churches in
China. That committee has successfully accomplished its
task. The choice of the Chinese representatives fell upon
the Rev. Mark lyiu, pastor of the Methodist Church of
Tientsin. The services of Bishop Bashford and the Rev.
H. H. Lowry were secured to further this call, and the
church in Tokyo is at the present time under the charge of
Mr. Liu, acting for the Methodist Church in China, which
thus becomes the official representative in Tokyo of the mis-
sionary church of China. Bishop Bashford has added to the

1908] Editorial Comment 5

debt we owe to his coniiminion in this matter by appointing
one of the most promising young members of the Methodist
Mission in Peking to assist for a term of years the work of this
Tokyo church.

* * *

Another tangible and satisfying evidence of the growing
spirit of harmony and mutual confidence among different sec-
tions of the Christian community is found in
r^v,i , .-* V *. therecentsettingapart by the Church Mission-
In 3-a»an ^^^ Society of two of its tested missionaries

for work among Chinese students in Tokyo.

The Revs. L. Byrde and W. H. Elwin have been sent to
work in full union with the General Committee of the Young
Men's Christian Associations, who furnish the common platform
approved by the Centenary Conference for co-operation among
the various agencies at work for Chinese students in Japan, and
in loyal fellowship with the Methodist Episcopal Church, to
whose care the Conference Committee of Fellowship has
entrusted the pastoral supervision of the young, but growing,
Church of Chinese Christians in the Eastern Capital.

The China Inland Mission is also loaning a man to help
in this same enterprise, in the person of the Rev. G. Miller,
of Ningkuofu, who will, we understand, proceed to Tokyo early
in February. With the Rev. H. Jowett, of the English
Wesleyan Mission, and the Rev. A. W. Lochead, of the
Canadian Presbyterians, already there, we have the happy
spectacle of five representatives of four large missionary societies,
joining hands with two other societies representing the Centen-
ary Conference and working harmoniously and effectively for
the salvation of Chinese students away from home in a foreign
capital. In this they are supported by the constant prayers of
Christian men and women of many denominations in many
parts of the world, who are thus again helping to fulfil the
prayer of our Lord, "That they all may be one."

This year is likely to be a most momentous one in the

history of educational progress in China. If the government

■TTu ^N ^ 4.1^ . should proceed with a thorough scheme of

ttbe jEoucattonal , . , \ , . , . i i r

higher education which ignores the work oi

Christian schools and colleges, difficulties of

no inconsiderable kind are sure to arise. But for the competition

6 The Chinese Recorder [January

of the o-overnment institutions to be really serious a good deal of
spade work must be accomplished by their educational officials.
It seems much more probable that the Ministry of Education
will be led to realize that in order to reap the full benefit of the
material in her hands China must recognize the good work being
done by the missionary body and make use of it. With China
thus wise, and Mission Boards alive to their opportunities, there
will be no such thing as government and missionary educational
competition ; each will play its part in the regeneration of the
Empire. If the government schemes are to meet with the
success that all its friends wish to see, it is absolutely necessary
that those appointed to the Ministry of Education should be
men of real enlightenment. Upon the men who are at the
head of the system almost everything will depend. Would it
not be a wise step for the Chinese government to appoint a
foreign inspector-general of education to do for her enlighten-
ment what Sir Robert Hart has done for the trade of China ?
Given the right man and a sufficient backing, marvellous
results would ensue.

Equipment, and efficiency in the development of the exist-
ing institutions, should be the keynote of educational progress
this year. New schemes of a large and
^i65ionat« Education -^^ -.^^ kind are in the air, but they

anD its {Pressing ^ . . -. '

^ ^ require carerul planning and mature con-

sideration. Even colleges do not grow in a
night, and a university of the most modern kind requires more
than money, bricks and mortar. In the existing institutions in
China, built up through many years of constant labour and
care, the missionary cause has a tremendous asset, and if the
requisite money and effort could be put into their full equipment
more perhaps could be accomplished at once than the biggest
of new schemes could attempt in a generation. And the
problem is one that will not wait. If the efforts of philanthropy
and the various schemes for union could be turned towards the
solution of the problem of undermanned and badly equipped
schools and colleges, an enormous driving force would be added
to the missionary propaganda. Christian men and institutions
at home could greatly add to the usefulness of existing colleges
by founding scholarships (on the lines of the Rhodes scholarships
at Oxford) to aid deserving and successful students to pursue

1908] Editorial Comment 7

their courses of study in Europe and America. It is not so
much the many as the fit that should be sent abroad for further
education. We believe that such a development as this would
make niucli for-the enlightenment and Christianization of China.

* * *

Mr. MacGillivray's record of enlarged activity in the

production of Christian literature is encouraging. The output

^, , , must necessarily continue to increase as the

Dissemination ot . . ^ .

missionary enterprise grows in age and extent.

Various societies will doubtless, from time to

time, add to the number of those who are set apart specifically for

literary work. By maintaining a higti standard of quality in

their work this score or more of men and women will have

done their share to ensure the widest usefulness of the literature

which they prepare. Upon the host of other missionaries,

however, must rest the chief responsibility for disseminating

this literature. To this end each missionary should make it

his duty to become as familiar as possible with what is issued.

With Mr. MacGillivray's useful catalogue at his disposal the

missionary can no longer excuse himself on the ground of

being too busy. It is possible for every missionary to become

familiar at least with the titles of the best books in the lines

in which he is most interested. It would be easy for him to

go further and know the best under each main division. Such

knowledge, even though superficial, would not only enlarge the

sales of the literature, but would at the same time increase the

missionary's own efficiency. If the missionaries of each large

centre were to carry out, where they have not already done so,

the recommendation of the Centenary Conference and organize

Local Religious Literature Committees to promote the wider

use of good books, it would be a great step in advance. It is

fully as important to secure readers as to prepare the literature,

and in the former, if not in the latter, all may have a share.

* * *
Interesting news has been received from Rev. G. A.

Moflfett, D. D. , Pyeng-yang, Korea, of the establishment of a

•m i«. >. ^ I. .. . United Presbyterian Church in that coun-

TUnlteD {Presbyterian ^ / , ,

„. , , ^ try. Four home churches are represent-

Cburcb in "Rorea. / . , . . , • ^ , -

ed in this union — American Presbyterians,

North and South, Australian, and Canadian. The organization

was effected September 17th, 1907, in the Central Church, Pyeug-

8 The Chinese Recorder [January

yang ; there being present forty Korean ministers and elders and
thirty-two foreign missionaries. One of the first acts of the new
Presbytery was the ordination of seven Korean preachers to
the Gospel ministry. This organization has a communicant
membership of 18,087, 1,539 baptized children, and 19,789
catechumens. These churches, during the past year, contributed
for all purposes Yen 94,227.00. It begins its history as an
independent church by sending one of the newly-ordained men,
Rev. Zee Kee-poung, as a missionary to the island of Quelpart,
with its 100,000 inhabitants, who are without the Gospel. The
oldest of these seven newly-ordained men, Rev. Sam Kyeng-jo,
first heard the Gospel through Manchuria missionaries. Dr.
Ross and Mr. Mclntyre. The first pastor to be installed in the
Korean Presbyterian Church is Rev. Kil Sun-chu, pastor of the
Central Church, Pyeng-yang, having 1,076 members and 385
catechumens. The prayers of all our readers will doubtless be
given in behalf of this strong and hopeful church in Korea.
We shall be glad to receive and report similar statistics for
other denominations in Korea.

* A 4e

It is worthy of note that the Confession of Faith adopted

by this church is that prepared by the similarly organized

^ ^ , Union Presbvterian Church in India. Dr.

irts Confession ,^ re .. 'r .1 • rA r • <<t. •

* :« i4.v. Moffett says of this Confession : " It is a gfood

ot 3fattb. - 1, A • ,, mi. •. r .1 ■ -,• . ,

one for all Asia." The writer of this editorial

is of the opinion that while clearly Presbyterian in doctrine,
this confession has been so constructed as to emphasize those
truths of the Bible which are most widely believed to be the
essentials of truth and to allow for minor differences of inter-
pretation which were too long made the occasion of controversy.
In other words, it does not seem too much to hope that a wider
union may some day be attained in Korea, in which the
supposed differences between denominations shall be obliterated.
The Korean church has not been built from the first on an
unchangeable denominational pattern, but has gradually grown
to its present condition ; and while we note that the form of
government now adopted is unmistakeably Presbyterian, we
are not without hope that there is such elasticity in the young
churches of Korea as shall successfully combine the good of
various polities in one united church. We wish for every
success and blessing to attend the Presbyterian Church of Korea,
and all its sister churches, in their great work.

REVIEW OF THE YEAR

Progress of Moral Reform in China during 1907

BY REV. G. F. FITCH, D.D., SHANGHAI

WHILE some of the reforms wliicli China has attempted
during the past year may be said to come under the
head of "moral," yet we fear that few of them
were undertaken because they were moral, but rather that they
were pressed upon her and it seemed impossible to avoid them.
Nevertheless vigorous efforts have been put forth on certain
lines, and while in some of them we are not overconfident of
results, yet we wait with more or less of hope.

Prominent among the attempted moral reformations has
been the Opium Decree and its rigid enforcement in certain
sections, more notably those under the immediate surveillance
of the Viceroy Yuan Shi-kai. We give him credit for absolute
sincerity in the matter and of unflinching bravery in attempting
to eradicate the evil, and if all the viceroys were like him,
both in will-purpose and power, we believe that the end of the
opium trade would soon be near. But, alas, some are weaker
in their purpose and with less ability to carry out reforms in
their spheres of government, and some doubtless have no desire
to grapple with the evil at all, but prefer simply to use the
opportunity for enriching themselves by making the people pay
for the privilege of raising opium in the fields or selling it
in opium dens in the city. But a few days since we were
informed by a missionary from North Kiangsu that while the
opium dens were ostensibly closed, smoking went on as usual
within, but for a consideration. Also that the farmers had
prepared to plant less opium this year, but found that a
contribution to the exchequer of the mandarin of five or six
hundred cash per niow^ was all that was necessary, — there being
no intention of stopping the cultivation, provided this stipula-
tion were complied with. In other provinces a seemingly
vigorous eflfort has been made to close all the opium dens, but
a weak and temporising official has soon yielded to the
demands of those of the baser sort that they be opened, and
now it is as bad as before.

10 The Chinese Recorder [January

In this connection, however, it is interesting to observe
that according to the last Customs' returns the revenue from
duty on opium, both native and foreign, has considerably
decreased, and we have no doiibt but that on the whole the
amount of land planted to opium has also considerably
decreased. But with such a corrupt officialdom as China has
it is difficult to see how the Opium Decree is ever going to be
fully executed. It certainly is not encouraging that when
the central government gave the high officials six months in
which to break off the habit, at the end of the six months a
further three months grace was allowed, — to be extended by
how many more we wot not.

At the same time we believe there is no question but that
a strong sentiment has been aroused in the minds of many and
more especially the young, and that this is destined to grow,
and will in the end greatly lessen, if not entirely eliminate, the
use of opium in China. Such widespread and deepseated evils
are not to be removed by an Edict, nor by sporadic, though
well-intentioned, efforts. It will require the most persistent and
wise endeavors of the greatest and best of the land to cope with
such a gigantic evil, especially with such a weak and corrupt
mandarinate in so many parts of the land.

We believe that progress has really been made in the matter
of the prohibition of the sale of rank, and this too in the face of
the great need of funds which the government feels increasingly
on account of the many new calls for money to establish
schools, employ teachers, build railways, pay the indemnity, etc.
We trust that China has really taken a step forward in this
respect, and that to whatever straits she may be put, she will
not again resort to this professedly forever abolished relic of
the past.

And as to the abolition of torture and the use of the bamboo
in punishment, though there was a promise of reform in this
respect, yet, with the officials and the people being such as they
are, it would seem that even some of the most progressive of
the Chinese felt that the day had not yet come. The people
needed to be educated to a higher standard before departing
from the old customs. In the Mixed Court in Shanghai the
flogging was abolished for a while, but was again resorted to ;
the difficulty being to find something to take its place that
criminals would comprehend and be influenced by. Something
else needs reforming first.

1908] Educational Progress of 1907 11

We are pleased to see the progress that has been made in
the spread of the anti-footbinding sentiment. Consequent on
the departure of Mrs. Little for Europe, the Natural Foot
Society was turned over to the Chinese and work is now being
wholly carried on by them. We have recently seen a copy of
their first Report, which is a pamphlet of some i8o pages,
printed on foreign white paper and with a long list of names of
supporters of the Society. Mr. Shen Tun-ho has done and is
doing yoeman service as president of the Society, and the
feeling against bound feet is, without doubt, spreading among the
well-to-do families, and will in due time spread from them to
the humbler classes.

Educational Progress of the Year 1907

BY REV. F. L. HAWKS POTT, D.D., ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, SHANGHAI

IT is still exceedingly difficult to get at any reliable statistics
in regard to the educational situation in China, and one
has to be content to give general impressions rather than
definite statements. Both government and missionary education
continue to move on parallel lines, and nothing has been
efiected in the way of co-ordination. Hence in our review we
must refer to them separately.

A. Government Education

The Ministry of Education in Peking has failed to fulfil the
sanguine expectations entertained in regard to it for at least
two reasons. In the first place, the men of whom it is composed
have had but little practical experience in educational matters,
and consequently are not well qualified to deal with the problem.
In the second place, they have been hampered from lack of
funds. When we are impatient with the slow progress in China,
we must bear in mind that the government has not at its com-
mand the large sums of money necessary to make effective an
edict endorsing practical reforms. Education is a costly matter,
and the Chinese are hard pressed to find the funds which it
necessitates. The Ministry has not, however, been entirely in-
active.

an educational magazine

Every month a small magazine is published by the Ministry
of Education, containing the edicts in regard to education and

12 The Chinese Recorder [January

the reports of the inspectors who have been commissioned to
investigate the present conditions. In its pages may be found
minute accounts of the schools visited and of the work they are
attempting to do. This magazine serves at least the purpose of
gathering statistics, and some day perhaps these will be classi-
fied, and we shall be able to learn what has been accomplished in
each province in the way of introducing the new education.

EDUCATIONAL INSPECTORS

In the place of the old literary chancellors, we now see
the educational inspectors coming into prominence. Their
duties, as may be surmised from what we have said above, are
largely those of oversight and the gathering of information.
They are also expected to encourage and stimulate the gentry
of the various districts throughout the empire to found new
schools and to give more liberally for their support. Naturally
some of these men are the old literary chancellors under a new
name. However well they were fitted to preside at the
examinations under the former r^gi7ne it can easily be seen that
they are not the men to help in the introduction of an education
with which they themselves are not acquainted.

EXAMINATIONS

According to the present scheme of education, graduates
from the middle schools are entitled to the degree of Hsiu-tsai,
(^ ^) ^nd those from the high schools or colleges to the
degree of Chii-jen (^ A). Thus far, however, we have not
heard of many instances of these degrees being conferred in this
way. This is probably due to the fact that the schools have
been in existence too short a time to permit of their producing
full-fledged graduates. The graduates of the university at
Taiyuanfu in Shansi, of which Dr. Timothy Richard is chan-
cellor of the Western department, have been admitted to the
second degree (Chii-jen). This system will, in course of time,
produce scholars with degrees who will have a much more
general education than the old literati.

A second examination for conferring degrees on students
who have studied abroad has been held at Peking. As a result
seven men received the third degree, Tsin-s (j^.dt)> of whom five
had studied in the United States and two in Japan, and thirty-
one received the second degree, Chii-jen i^ A), of whom eight
had studied in the United States and the remainder in Japan.

1908] Educational Progiess of 1907 .15

It is interesting to note as an evidence that educational
reform is still subject to many perils, that one of the examiners
actually advocated the restoration of the eight-legged essay in
future examinations and also refused to sanction the granting of
degrees to those whose education was stictly technical, i.e., in
some applied science.

None of those who have been successful in these examina-
tions have been appointed to any high government position^ and
sometimes they have been employed in work for which they
were in no way fitted by their previous training. For instance,
a young man who had made a specialty of pedagogics while
abroad, instead of being appointed to some position connected
with government education, was given the work of the installa-
tion of a telephone system.

JiDUCATlONAL MISSIONS

During the year more students have been sent abroad to
study, but the number has been limited owing to want of funds.
Some twenty went from the college at Tientsin to the U. S. , and
while studying there are to be under the oversight of Dr. Tenney,
formerly in charge of the educational institutions in the pro-
vince of Chihli.

A large number from the university at Taiyuanfu have been
sent to England and Europe. H. E. Tuan Fang, the viceroy
of the Liangkiang provinces, has sent ten men to the United
States to study on the free scholarships granted by some of the
colleges in America. The governor of Chehkiang province, at
his own expense, has sent two students — one young man and
one young woman.

Just here it is well to notice that although missionary
colleges have not as yet received any official recognition from
the government, yet among those selected for the privilege of
going abroad to study, many were graduates of missionary
colleges and several were Christians. Altogether there are now
217 Chinese students in the United States, of whom 122 are in
universities or technical schools. There are also an increasing
number in England, Germany, and Belgium.

The tide seems to have turned against sending young men
to study in Japan. The Chinese government has become
alarmed by the fact that many of those who have spent a short
time in Tokyo have come back to China and disseminated the
most revolutionary political doctrines.

14 The Chinese Recorder [January

Although a largje number of those successful at the recent
examination in Peking were educated in Japan, nevertheless
there has been a distinct decline in the enthusiasm formerly
felt for what seemed to be a short road to enlightenment, name-
ly, a few mouths' study in Japan.

STUDENT UNREST

The work of the new schools has been seriously hampered
by rebellions among the students. There has been a complete
reaction against the old recognized relationship between teacher
and pupil, and the latter, instead of showing respect for the
authority of the former, has tried to take the law into his own
hands and manage the school to suit himself. Students have
dictated as to who should teach them and what they should be
taught. Furthermore many of the schools have become hot-
beds of political agitation, and the students have undertaken to
express their opinions in regard to questions of government and
state policy. In many instances they have succeeded in
terrorizing the officials and in compelling them to yield to their
wishes.

We are glad to say, however, that latterly there has been
some improvement in regard to the conduct of the students in
these new schools. Probably they have seen that they were
defeating their own aims, and that rebellions only led to the
closing up of institutions. At all events we do not hear as
much now as we did a short time ago of disturbances created by
students. There has been no diminution, however, in their
interest in politics, and at the present time they are playing a
large part in the agitation over the construction of the Ningpo
and Hangchow railway.

B. Missionary Education

Although, as we have said, there has been no official
recognition by the government of the missionary schools and
colleges, yet thus far this has not resulted in any injurious
effects. The demand for the advantages oflfered by missionary
institutions is greater than ever, and all are crowded to their
utmost capacity. Their superior efficiency and better dis-
cipline render them popular, and parents prefer sending their
sons to the schools under missionary supervision. The
opportunity of reaching and influencing the rising generation is
one of supreme importance.

1908] Progress in Preparation of Literature 15

SOME SIGNS OF PROGRESS

During the past year each mission has gone on developing its
own educational work, and there are many signs of healthy pro-
gress. New buildings have been erected at many centers. The
Northern and Southern Baptists have begun their work on the
new college compound in the vicinity of Shanghai. The London
Mission is about to open a new building in Hankow and is
erecting a new one at Medhurst College. The Ingle Hall has
been completed at Boone College. A new school building 'is in
process of erection at Soochow in connection with the American
Episcopal Mission. The C. M. S. in Foochow have started a new
Anglo-Chinese College, called St. Mark's. The educational
work in West China is developing.

Everywhere there is a desire for coordination and coopera-
tion, but no more union schemes have yet been brought into
effect. The Educational Association of China has taken steps to
secure a permanent secretary, who will give his whole time to
the interests of the Association. It is hoped that next year, under
the new secretary, educational magazines in English and Chinese
will be published, and that more will be accomplished in the
way of producing good text-books for school work.

At the time of the Centenary Conference rumours were
abroad as to the intention on the part of several philanthropic
capitalists in the U. S. to give large sums for the development
of educational work in China. The hopes of many of our educa-
tors were raised to fever point. Thus far, however, none of the
dreams have been realized, and all are still longing for the
wherewithal to carry out the great plans they have formed for
the expansion of their work.

Recent Progress in the Preparation of
Christian Literature

BY REV. DONALD MACGILLIVRAY, M. A. , SHANGHAI

IN the early days those who emphasized literature were
more numerous than in the last two decades, but even
during this period there have been a few voices crying in
the wilderness. Now there seems to be a general chorus,
judging by the resolutions of the Centenary Conference. We
all want more and better books. As the number of mission-

16 The Chinese Recorder [January

aries increases and the native church more than keeps pace,
the number of tracts and books tends to increase also, and
considering the size and age of the church in China, the number
of books is perhaps more than is provided for the church
in India. At least that is what one of their missionaries said
when he saw the catalogue at Conference, but perhaps he was
not posted on his own ground. Still, quality is always improv-
able and in constant request, and mere quantity is not what
we want. Friends who are at work on anything have very
generally acceded to our request to write the Recorder about
it, so that overlapping is practically done away with now.
Still there are a few modest or forgetful souls who plow a
lonely furrow in secret and suddenly project their work on the
public without warning, but sometimes to the infinite disgust of
some one else who, having sweated over the same work, finds
himself forestalled.

The first thing which strikes one is the monthly list of
books, entitled "In Preparation," which, begun some years
ago with five or six, now includes over forty titles. This
betokens a large increase of literary activity, at any rate in
certain directions, and this is as it ought to be, to meet the new
conditions in Church and State. It will be impossible within
the limits of this sketch to name everything which has lately
come out, and it may be that works even more worthy of
mention than these I name are passed over. If so, it is due to
"pure ignorance."

The activity in the department of Bible Study is very
notable, chiefly because the Young Men's Christian Association
has entered this field and prepared a large number of books
which they require for their study classes of young men.
Besides these they have a good list on the I^ife and Work of the
Christian. We note the following: — Bible Study for Personal
Spiritual Growth, by John R. Mott, Daily Studies in Mark,
adapted from W. D. Murray, Studies in Gospel History,
Bosworth's Teaching of Jesus and His Apostles, Studies in the
Acts and Epistles, Studies in Old Testament History, Studies in
Apostolic History. On the Life of the Christian, they have the
following : — Some Essentials of Spiritual Growth, the Morning
Watch, Christians of Reality, Secret Prayer, Personal work.
Besides these they have in preparation works by Torrey,
Goodman, W. D. Murray and others. They are fortunate in
Mr. Zia, their Chinese editor and compiler.

1908] Progress in Preparation of Literature 17

In the same line others too are active. Thus we have Dr.
H. A. Johnston's Studies for Personal Workers, Sharman's
Studies in the Life of Christ, Ballantine's Inductive Studies in
Matthew, Torrey's How to Pray, Bryan and Province's Forty-
eight Lessons in the Life of Christ, Fulness of Life by J. Stuart
Holden, Dr. F. L. Hawks Pott's Teaching of Our Lord, Clay-
ton's Topical Index to Scripture, Hedley's Paul, and Steele's
Paul. The Sunday school too is at last coming to its own
in China, judging by the number who issue helps, both for
th? international course and for independent courses.

Among devotional books the most recent are, S. D. Gor-
don's well known books. Quiet Talks on Prayer and on Power,
Brother Lawrence's Practice of the Presence of God, and Arch-
deacon Moule'sGoulbourn's Personal Religion ; while in prepara-
tion or in press are, Andrew Murray's New Life, McConkey's
Threefold Secret of the Holy Spirit, and Andrew Murray's Like
Christ. Rev. F. W. Bailer, besides issuing Pastor Hsi and other
popular books, is at work on a Metrical Version of the Psalms.
His object is probably not to enrich the hymnal, but to assist
the devotional life of the Christians. If he rescues the Psalter
from obscurity he will have accomplished a task for which the
Chinese church in all ages will thank him. William C. Burns
did something in this direction.

In heavier works Dr. DuBose has given us his stout volume
on Christian Evidences, and we are promised a new System-
atic Theology in twelve parts from the same diligent hand.
The late lamented Alfred G. Jones, one of the founders of the
English Baptist Mission in Shantung, left a Systematic Theology,
on which he had spent years. This is now being printed by the
C. L. S. Then again a professor of theology in America has
written a Theology specially for China. This is being translat-
ed by Dr. A. P. Parker, and will be issued under the title
"Essentials of Christianity." Rev. J. Speicher, of the Baptist
Mission, South China, announces that he will publish a version
of Dr. Torrey's bulky book, " What the Bible Teaches," which
claims to be Biblical first and systematic afterwards.

Bishop Graves, when asked on one occasion what books
were needed, replied that among others we need more bright,
clean, uplifting stories for our young people. This need is receiv-
ing the attention of the elect ladies. The C. L- S. has issued a
number, e.g., Charity's Birthday Text, Hungering and Thirst-
ing, Beautiful Joe (a story teaching kindness to animals).

18 The Chinese Recorder [January

The ladies of Shantung deserve special mention. Thus, Mrs.
Ada Haven Mateer, Mrs. Robert Mateer, and Mrs. Crosette
have already issued, or are about to issue, several short stories
of the sort needed.

In general literature the most important issues are : Milner's
England in Egypt and Hodder's Life of a Century, both
published by the Christian Literature Society, to whom this
work is now almost wholly given up. Dr. Davello Z, Sheffield,
of Tungchow, has shown his Chinese coadjutor how to write a
History of China, as such works are done in the West, giving
material enough for a two years' course, 370 pages. Biograph-
ical monographs are interspersed. An Historical Atlas of
fourteen maps will accompany the History. He has also
published his "Ethics," recently reviewed in the Recorder.

Three general remarks may be made on the foregoing lists.
First, these works are largely done by foreigners, or Anglo-
Chinese translators. Of course the foreigners owe a great
deal to their Chinese scribes, who often are more than scribes.
But original Chinese work is still conspicuously meagre. The
late Pastor Wang, of Hongkong, left a work on Confucianism
and Christianity, which is now being issued by the Christian
Literature Society. The Church Missionary Society, in setting
apart a special man for literary work, has charged him to use
every effort to foster original Chinese work. Offering prizes
has been tried, but the results are disappointing. The Christian
Literature Society recently offered prizes for the best essays on
how to deal with the opium traffic, but out of seventy essays,
none was thought fit to receive the largest sum offiired. We
should like to see a paper on how best to foster eflfort in this line.

In the second place, in the present output of the press
there is a vast preponderance of books meant for the Chinese
church. These of course are needed for a church growing
in numbers and intelligence, but one would like to see more
books intended for the millions on the outside ; the scholars
and the thinking people generally. Some of the stand-bys are
really a little too ancient, considering how conditions have
changed since, say, 1862. There cannot be many officials in
the Empire who have not had certain books presented to
them at some time or other. Something new would now be
welcomed.

Thirdly, the majority of the books now in preparation are
brief. Monumental works like those of Dr. Faber, Dr. Allen

1908] Progress in Preparation of Literature 19

and Dr. Martin are rare. With the exception of the Theologies,
there is little now doing which represents vast labour and pro-
found learning. What is the moral of this ? Does it mean
that such works demand leisure which most modern missionaries
cannot possibly obtain ?

Looking forward to the immediate future we may expect to
see a Children's Hymnal some day. Union books are under way
or out in some quarters. The Concordance which Dr. Fenn and
Mr. Gelwicks have long been at will be a boon, provided the
price is within reach of the helpers, but such a book cannot be
made small at will. That such an indispensable aid to Chinese
preachers has not been provided before is simply a matter of
expense. The next most natural help is also wanting, viz., a
Bible Dictionary in our Western sense of the word. Selections
wisely made from Hastings may some day be issued, but here
again the question of cost is vital. No wonder Faber said the
present way of writing Chinese was one of the greatest barriers
to the enlightenment of China. Books of any size are costly.

Of making Commentaries there is no end. The Centenary
Conference agreed and proposed to get out a series of big
commentaries on the whole Bible. The small Conference
Commentaries may have their uses, but helpers make many
complaints that there is not enough of it to satisfy. It is like
" chewing candles — no taste. " Whether the larger and more
ambitious series will appear in our generation remains to be
seen. The church wants it, but where to get the men to do
the work is more and more the insoluble problem. Besides,
it would be a pity to tie up a large force of able men if other
work is really more pressing and needful in the same field
of literature.

Dr. Woods, of Tsingkiangpu, has long announced a Com-
mentary on the Classics, and W. E. Soothill's Analects, when
they appear, will perhaps supersede Legge. A good book on
Prayer, with model prayers, is called for. Such books are
helpful to ourselves and they would also prove advantageous
to the Chinese. Tailing's Extempore Prayer in English has
had a large sale, because it met a need. New Gospel tracts
are called for, especially in districts long worked.

There is growing up a small literature on anti-Christian
science. Rev. F. Ohlinger has done some good work to meet
this propaganda, and promises something more on Hegel,
Hackel and Kossuth. He had already given us Bettex's First

20 The Chinese Recorder [January

Leaf of the Bible, an answer to Darwin and Hackel. We
await with interest Sir Oliver Lodge's Catechism, announced
by Dr. Richard. Yen Fu's Huxley (5^ f^ |^) has had a large
influence, and a Formosan Christian (^ ^ ^) has recently
issued a reply. Of course he does so at a disadvantage on the
scientific side, having no adequate knowledge of what Christian
scientists urge in reply. But his book ought to be studied by
all who encounter these views or who hope to write anything
in reply. The whole subject is, however, beset with difficulties.
In the first place, one scarcely knows whether such replies do
more harm than good ; they may raise more doubts than they
settle in ill-instructed minds. And in the next place, such
different views are held among Christians themselves. Are
you dead against all views of evolution like C. B. T. or, as
most Christian scholars, do you accept the general doctrine and
show its harmony with Christianity ? These doctrines, like
other critical views of the Bible, are sure to become known
sooner or later among our hearers, and the problem before us
is, When should they be discussed ?

The Last Phase of Chinese Patriotism

and its Influence on the Work of Evangelization, Illustrated
by the Recent Trend of Events in North Chekiang

BY THE REV. P. F. PRICE, OF DONGSHANG

CHANGES in the attitude of the Chinese people are taking
place so rapidly that it is very hard at any given moment
to define what the conditions around us are. In fact so
anomalous is the present situation that two persons, forming
their opinions from different standpoints, might give very
different accounts of the trend of events. From one point of
view the outlook is dark and discouraging and from another it
is as bright and hopeful. In this brief review I shall try to
illustrate both pliases of the situation and then draw some
conclusions regarding the prosecution of missionary work under
these conditions.

Knowledge is being disseminated as never before. It was
only a few years ago that the native papers had only an
interested reader here or there. But now an increasing
multitude read the papers. The number of newspapers

1908] The Last Phase of Chinese Patriotism 21

distributed do not show the whole number of readers, for a
single paper is often subscribed for conjointly by two or three
persons and these and their friends will all read and all
disseminate the news. A newspaper in a large shop will be
perused more or less by all in the shop who can read at all.
The schools have their reading rooms, where from three to a
dozen daily papers are taken. And not only are the Shanghai
papers read, but the Hangchow daily newspaper, the ^ f^ ^,
published in Mandarin, has an extensive circulation and is an
important factor in the forming of public opinion in this
province. And the papers report everything, from an imperial
edict down to petty neighborhood disputes. The doings of the
missionaries too as they relate to the Chinese do not go
unnoticed. And all missionaries are judged by the short-
comings which the Chinese writers detect or think they detect
in a few.

Public sentiment is also making itself felt as at no previous
time in the history of this province. The railroad dispute,
which is still pending, is sufficient illustration of this. What-
ever may be the outcome of this question we are witnessing a
doggedness of determination on the part of the people in all
sections of the province and a unity of resistance to supposed
foreign aggression which is in astonishing contrast to the
apathy of former years, and which promises some tragic results,
no matter which way the decision turns.

Another significant sign of the times is a quiet and persist-
ent anti-foreign propaganda. Of riots and of attacks against or
even abuse of foreigners there is a cessation. The jingoes have
learnt a better way. They are using milder and much more
effective methods. For instance, many ot the popular songs
that are being sung so widely in the schools are saturated with
fire-eating, anti-foreign sentiment. Many of the text-books used
in the schools introduce the same sort of thing. The native news-
papers report many adverse things concerning that "undesirable
citizen," the foreigner (i.e., '^ A, a very unsavory term), and
in so doing they take little care to distinguish whether the given
foreigner is a missionary or an adventurer, or whether Roman
Catholic or Protestant. Be this confusion of thought studied or
not, the tendency is the same, i.e., to create an insidious dislike
to foreigners as a class. This is apparent, too, on the surface.
A Customs officer, a foreigner, remarked to me recently that
while a year or two ago the officials would visit him in free

22 The Chinese Recorder [January

and friendly fashion, now they confine their attentions to the
barest official formalities. And some missionaries have re-
marked the same thing in regard to their dealings with certain
of the higher classes. Unfortunately much of the lauded pa-
triotism of the day is fed by anti-foreign rather than pro-China
enthusiasm.

Nor is public sentiment anti-foreign altogether ; it is also
anti-dynastic. The length to which the native papers go in
their abuse of the Foreign Office and of the government would
be almost incredible were it not daily displayed before our
eyes. This is not only true of papers published in the foreign
concession in Shanghai, but also of those published on soil
controlled wholly by the Chinese government. When I was
reading with my teacher the other day an editorial advising
resistance to the government and insisting that the power of the
ministration is now in the hands of the people, I said to the
teacher, "Is it possible that we are living in monarchical China?"
And he replied, "1 cannot understand it, but the editors of all
the daily papers are continually retailing this sort of thing."
The promised right of constitutional government has been
assumed by the would-be leaders of the people in a way that
augurs trouble for the government if allowed to go on
unchecked.

The newly-established government schools are exhibiting
a spirit that is in marked contrast to the rkghne of the old-time
teacher who is now a back number. There is in the schools a
desire for varied knowledge and independence of thought, a
determination to obtain physical as well as mental development,
and a bond of patriotism which are all hopeful signs. But, on
the other hand, whereas the old time teacher knew one thing
and knew it well — that is, his own language and literature — the
tendency in the modern school is toward a smattering of many
subjects, with no thorough mastery of any. This and similar
defects may, however, be remedied in time. But there is a
deeper and more radical evil that may well concern the friends
of China ; that is, a spirit of insubordination in the public schools,
which is a wide departure from the old time ideas of submission
to authority. The teacher at the old school enjoyed a reverence
and respect on the part of the pupil second only to that given to
the parent. But in the modern schools pupils combine against
a teacher or teachers when any act of a teacher displeases them,
and when the matter is referred to the officials, the latter,

I

1908] The Last Phase of Chinese Patriotism 23

yielding at the point of least resistance, generally uphold the
boys, and so subvert the discipline of the schools. And now it
has come to pass that striplings in the primary schools are
found sending petitions to the high officials of the province,
and even to Peking itself, dictating to the government what its
policy should be !

Collaterally there is an alarming dissemination of rational-
istic ideas. Aside from the growing output of books of agnostic
tendency, the tone of the native press is depressingly material-
istic. The Hmtgchow daily paper stated reccjitly that no
eminent scholar in the West now believes i7i a Supreme Being,
And this statement is a sample of the new propaganda. Young
men in the government schools who know very little about the
universe in which they live seem to be quite sure that there is
no God in it. In fact it seems to be the boast of the schools
that they reject the supernatural.

All of these clouds, however, have a silver lining, and there
are other and brighter signs of the times that indicate that the
kingdom of God is making advance in the face of all untoward
conditions.

There are not a few earnest and patriotic Chinese who
have their country's welfare at heart and who are spending and
being spent in her service. These are the men who have been
the backbone of the anti-opium agitation and but for whom the
reform scheme would have fallen through. They are found
sometimes in official circles, but more often, perhaps, among the
local leaders of the people, and they are the political hope of
the country to-day.

Protestant missionaries are winning more than ever the
goodwill of a large number of Chinese. Some who might be
named are widely known and esteemed for their work's sake.
And not only their good deeds but their personal integrity are
creating in the minds of many Chinese a new ideal which,
unconsciously to them, is a Christian ideal. If any one becomes
discouraged when he hears how Chinese talk about foreigners,
let him remember that they are well-nigh as merciless in
talking about each other, as, for instance, when they begin by
saying, "We Chinese," and then go on to compare the
characteristics of their own people to the honesty and straight-
forwardness they see in the foreigners about them. And a
prominent Chinese gentleman said in a public speech not long
ago : "If these missionaries have come over the seas to profit

24 The Chinese Recorder [January

us, an alien people, what in proportion should be our exertions
on behalf of own flesh and blood ! " These are but samples of
the leaven of missionary example.

There is a clearer conception in the minds of the people as
to the spiritual aims of the Protestant church and as to the desire
of its missionaries to establish a church in China which shall
eventually be free of all foreign control. There is, however,
much yet to be desired in this line, and the large majority,
perhaps, have as yet only a hazy idea as to what the church
stands for. But there has been an encouraging advance along
this line within the past few years.

The leaven of the Gospel is working not only in the
Christian communities that are springing up in all quarters, but
also in the minds of many who are outside of the radius of these
congregations. For instance, I recently called on a district
magistrate who, when I made mention of the Gospel, said he
had a book which was given to him by a missionary in Wen-
chow and which he prized highly. He brought it out, and it
proved to be a New Testament. He said he could often not
sleep nights, and he would light his candle and, reclining on
his arm, read this book. He asked if it were possible to obtain
another for a friend. He is said to be a man who deals with
the people with unprecedented gentleness. This man, and
many another through this province, owes his inspiration to
Christian ideas and ideals. The effect of the sowing of the seed
of the word by preaching and by the printed page, a part of our
work that cannot be shown by statistics, is one of the most
encouraging signs of the times.

Now may I add a few reflections as to the conduct of
mission work under the peculiar conditions that exist at the
present time.

First. We should by preaching and by practice more earnest-
ly than ever e^nphasize the spiritual 7iattire of the Church of
Christ. Unworthy men, many of whom claimed connection
with the Roman Catholic church and some also, alas, with the
Protestant church, have so prostituted the name of the church to
their own evil ends that in some isolated communities the church
stands for nothing but a political machine, a by- word and a
reproach. And even in those communities where the church
is at its best, many of the most influential men in the place
have an imperfect idea as to its relation to civil government.
A little enquiry will soon convince any doubter that this is a

1908] The Last Phase of Chinese Patriotism 25

statement of fact. We are not so much concerned now with
the cause of this state of affairs as with the remedy, and
especially with the remedy that is in our hands to apply. Now
no Protestant missionary that I know of has any political aim
in view. But every Protestant evangelist is continually set
upon with petitions and requests to use his political influence
for the relief of actual oppression in cases which cannot be
construed as persecution for the Gospel's sake. These cases
are often pitiful in the extreme, and the appeals for aid are
accompanied by the most plausible arguments in favor of the
missionary giving a relief which it is in his power to bestow.
But any lack of consistency in resisting such appeals is but the
sowing of the seed for a bitter harvest in the days to come.
A spiritual end cannot justify political means, nor will political
methods ever produce permanent spiritual results.

Not only may harm be done by lack of personal care on
the part of the missionary but also by lack of a firm hand in
the control of Chinese assistants and church members, who
are constantly tempted to use their connection with the for-
eigner to settle disputes and to further schemes of oppression or
corruption in exchange for some personal advantage. A good
and earnest man may have half of his influence nullified by one
helper or church member who yields to the pressure of such
temptation. Very few of these disputes or lawsuits go to the
magistrates nowadays. They are settled out of court by un-
principled men who play upon what they claim to have of
foreign backing. And while foreign prestige in official circles
may wax and wane, yet among the people at large it was never
more undisputed than it is to-day. And herein is the danger
against which I would lift a warning signal.

Second. The missionary should, I believe, endeavor to
avoid talking politics altogether, or if he must talk politics do
so without any partisan bias. Of course politics is a new word
and represents a new thing among the people of China, but the
thing is here and probably here to stay. Take for example
this railroad question. The sympathies of missionaries are
probably with the British syndicate, and they see few of the
evils which the Chinese predict. On the other hand, the
Chinese are so at one in resisting foreign control of the road
that even the native Christians in some quarters are taking a
prominent part in the anti-loan agitation and are being ap-
plauded for it by the native papers. Now what is the mission-

26 The Chinese Recorder [January

ary to do? Should he "instruct" his Chinese friends as to
the limitations of foreign loans, their benefits in other countries,
etc. ? If he does so, it will take much time, accomplish
doubtful good, and probably raise a new and unnecessary barrier
between himself and those whom he would win. Were it not
better in such a case to be "swift to hear, slow to speak"?
And so with other political questions as they arise, whether
the issue be between Chinese and foreigners, or Chinese and
Chinese. Aside from questions of conscience, is not the better
way to avoid political discussion altogether both in public and
in private speaking? Our Lord said to the representative of
the mighty power of Rome, "My kingdom is not of this
world," and He and His apostles rigidly abstained from discuss-
ing the political questions of their day.

Such an example on the part of missionaries, moreover,
will help to discourage the native church as a church from
taking part in political agitation, a danger that some recent
events warn us may be a real one in the near future.

Third. There is an opportunity now as never before for
the missionary to win the personal regard of the Chinese among
whom he lives. The right of missionary residence is no longer
disputed. He is recognized as a citizen of the place in which
he lives, who for his good works is entitled to respect. The
growing intelligence of Christian congregations and of the
young men who go out from Christian schools is giving a new
value to the estimate in which the church is held. Educated
Chinese preachers meet with more consideration than formerly
among the educated classes. And some of them are men who
are widely respected in their communities. And, moreover, in
the homes of high and low alike a way can be found for per-
sonal contact with the people. The situation therefore spells
out clearly the word "opportunity ; " and in making the best
of this opportunity sympathetic personal contact, which is at
the basis of soul winning, is a factor of prime importance.
All missionaries should be "good mixers." For from the
magistrates downward the people are ready to meet us half
way, returning smile for smile, friendliness for friendliness.
And in privilege of access to all classes the missionary has an
opportunity that no other person possesses. The evangelist
especially should be like his Master, who '■'■ went aboji t Ao\r\g
good ; " and like the apostles, who " went everywhere preaching
the word."

1908] The Last Phase of Chinese Patriotism 27

Fourth. The occasion is opportune for carrying the Gospel
to every individual. Never did the grace of God and the pro-
vidence of God work in more beautiful harmony than in China
at this time. On the one hand, the Lord is stirring the heart
of His church with a determination to carry out His last com-
mand ; and on the other hand, He is opening wide the doors
and making possible the very thing which the church is stirred
to do. But it is an enormous undertaking. We can but re-
cognize the force of what Mr. William T. Ellis says: " Up to
the present time foreign mission work has been a mere recon-
naissance in force, and not a war. One of the hurtful delusions
of the home churches concerning foreign missions (a delusion
sometimes fostered by ill balanced reports from the fields) is
that the whole heathen world is on the verge of conversion to
Christianity. One of the commonest figures of missionary oratory
represents the nations crowding into the church. Now the un-
welcome fact is that heathenism as a whole has scarcely been
budged by missions. Great as have been the missionary triumphs
in spots the mass as such has hardly been touched by the Chris-
tian teaching. The overwhelming and, at first sight, immovable
and impregnable heathenism of mission lands is a challenge for
the churches. Now this big task calls for large measures.
The brains which have created the vast commercial enterprises
of the twentieth century must attack this work with equal
adequateness. This undertaking is too great to be maintained
on a basis of petty, pathetic, or heroic stories adapted to arouse
the interest and sympathy of women and children. Unless it
be established on a firm basis of principle and purpose by men
who have the vision and courage and resourcefulness to plan
tremendously and persist unfalteringly, the missionary work
that the conditions imperatively demand cannot be successfully
accomplished. One is made indignant, and almost disgusted,
to behold the two-penny character of a work that is designed to
transform nations. More than once, while on the mission field,
I was tempted to write to the laymen of America : ' either do
THE JOB OR CHUCK IT ; DON'T PLAY AT IT.' The fact that the
work is so gigantic, the enemy so active and so strong should
but stir us to a more unrelenting determination to rout the
enemy and to accomplish the business that lies before us. The
missionary should have no such word as ' impossible ' in his
vocabulary, for nothing is impossible with God. Let us both
plan and expect nothing short of evangelizing the whole terri-

28 The Chinese Recorder [January

tory, including every individual, in this generation. Multitudes
are eager to read. Let us by organized effort put Christian
literature into their hands. Agnosticism is coming in like a flood.
Let us meet it with the word of God, expounded on the print-
ed page and by the living voice. The door to homes and minds
is ajar everywhere. Let us pay the cost in prayer and pains
and enter in to capture the citadel of the hearts of this people,
for ' prayer and pains through Jesus Christ can accomplish
anything.' "

Imperial Edicts of 1907

IN reviewing the Imperial Edicts of the year one is apt
to say, with a sigh of hope deferred : " It is the same
old story — much of promise on paper." But this is not
the whole story. Anti-opium reform bulks large in fact ; a
considerable advance has been made in putting constitutional
reforms into practice (though perhaps not much more than
re-organization can be claimed as yet, and that not very
extensive in point of territory) ; sincere efforts to adjust the
political relations of the missionary propaganda have been
made, if only from an instinct of self-protection ; and the
enlightened policy of sending young men to study in Europe
and America, as announced in Edicts of recent years, is
proceeding more intelligently and with more care and zeal than
ever, since the return of the five ambassadors. According
to Dr. Morrison, correspondent of the London Times, there are
now 420 Chinese students in schools and colleges in America
alone.

The selections from Edicts which follows are taken from
the translations in the North- China Herald.

CONFUCIUS

Dramatic and even startling was the first announcement
of the year in the matter of Imperial legislation in an edict
dated two days before the opening of the year, as follows : —

"In view of the supreme excellence of the great sage
Confucius, whose virtues equal heaven and earth and make him
worthy of the adoration of a myriad ages, it is the desire of her
Imperial Majesty the Empress- Dowager Tze Hsi, etc., that

1908] Imperial Edicts of 1907 29

the great sage shall in future be accorded the same sacrificial
ceremonies of worship accorded to heaven and earth when
sacrifice is paid by the Emperor. Let the yamen concerned
take note of this."

This was followed a week later with an Edict establishing
at the birthplace of Confucius (Chufou, Shantung) a college
in honor of the sage ; and on the 14th January the following
was decreed : —

"In the studies taught in the schools and colleges of the
Empire Chinese should hold chief place, while those of foreign
origin should hold the subordinate position. Moreover the
aim of these schools and colleges should be to teach the
students loyalty to the Throne, reverence for the great sage
Confucius, a love for things military and a striving for solid
education. Especially should care be exercised in selecting
the right kind of professors and tutors for the Confucian college
at Chufou in Shantung province."

THE CHRISTIAN PROPAGANDA

Probably some effects of the great Centennial Conference
of missionaries reached the Throne. Sentiments expressed by
Chinese officials who were guests of the Conference seem to
be reflected in the Edict dated October ist, which, though
it only stated principles and policies already acknowledged,
deserves quoting as a new charter of civil rights and official
responsibilities : —

" Decree by the Emperor stating that since the dissemination
of the Christian religion is permitted by treaty it is the manifest
duty of all officials within the limits of the Empire to give
protection to the lives and property of all foreign missionaries
in the interior. Of late years, however, the burning of
churches and the slaying of missionaries and converts have
again been resumed to the deep regret of the Throne. An
examination into the causes of this reveals the fact that the
hostility between the masses and converts is due to the
incapability of the authorities concerned in not properly
settling disputes between these two sections of the Emperor's
subjects. From the very first one of the clauses of the treaties
sets forth that so long as a missionary in teaching the tenets
of his faith and the Chinese who accepts his teachings are
peaceable and lawabiding they must by no means be opposed
or interfered with. Furthermore, that anything occurring

30 The Chinese Recorder [January

within the proper jurisdiction of the local officials of a district
and concerning a subject of the Throne such matter or matters
must be dealt with by the authorities immediately concerned,
according to Chinese law. Indeed, the lines of duty incumbent
upon Chinese officials could not have been more clearly laid
down than as they have been set forth in the treaties. Under
the circumstances, therefore, viceroys and governors of pro-
vinces are commanded to lose no time in selecting from the
treaties made between China and foreign countries all the articles
which have reference to the subject of missionaries and their
work in the Empire, and then having compiled said articles
to print them for distribution amongst all their subordinates
holding office within the jurisdiction of said viceroys and
governors. The recipients are to be told that they are
expected to make a close and diligent study of these special
abstracts from the treaties, so that when they have any business
with foreign missionaries, they (the officials) may be able to
act in strict accordance with the treaties. With regard to non-
converts and converts who are Chinese, thiey are all the children
and proper subjects of the Emperor and they are all alike
amenable to the law of their native land. Those who break
the laws of the country must suffer according to the laws
of the country laid down for such cases. Those who enter
upon litigation must go through the law courts in the usual
manner, and all will be treated according to law without
any distinctions being made as to who is a convert, or who
is not a convert. Each man will be justly and impartially
treated as the law commands. Let there be no attempt
on the part of the authorities dealing with such cases to
be improperly influenced towards one side or the other. Let
the judgment given out in regard to them be so made that
they will be joyfully recognized by all the litigants as impartial
and accepted by us as just decisions. The provincial authorities
are further expected to issue proclamations from time to time
reminding their subordinates and the people under them of
their obligationsj so that Christians and non-Christians may
live peaceably and law-abidingly together and refrain from
oppressing one another or treating each other with contumely.
In a word, if officials will only act with justice and impartiality
towards all those under them without invidious distinctions,
non-converts and converts will naturally adjust themselves to the
normal conditions before them, eradicate all feelings of envy

1908] Imperial Edicts of 1907 31

and hostility and live at peace with each other. Proper care
must be taken at ordinary times by the authorities to prevent
the evil work and insidious rumours that desperadoes are
ever seeking to spread about, in order to create trouble,
and so give them the chance to pillage and plunder. Such
attempts must be promptly and sternly dealt with and crushed.
Should any district official be ignorant of the treaties, or
deal unjustly with Christians, or, on the other hand, seek
to curry favour with Christians by dealing unjustly with non-
Christians thereby creating a disturbance which may have
most serious results, the guilty official or officials will be
sternly dealt with without mercy. Let this Decree be made
known to all. ' '

PROHIBITION OF OPIUM

It is seldom that law and its execution keep within hailing
distance of each other in China. In the new anti-opium
crusade we have a promising exception to the rule. Two
Edicts summarizing the purposes of the Throne, as previously
enjoined, will bring the subject sufficiently down to date on
the legislative side. Under date of June 25th we have the
following as to the traffic in general : —

''The consumption of opium is a great calamity to the
people of this Empire. Last year we issued an edict prohibit-
ing the cultivation and consumption of opium and commanded
the Council of State to devise effective regulations on the
subject for dissemination throughout the provinces and also
commanded the various yamens concerned to see to it that the
said regulations should be observed in every detail by one
and all.

In the 3rd month of this year (April-May) we again
issued an Imperial Decree reiterating our previous command
to the high provincial authorities to impress upon their
respective subordinates the vital importance of obeying to
the letter and putting into force the regulations concerning
the cultivation of the poppy and the sale and the consump-
tion of the drug, which were drawn up at our command last
year and which received our approval and sanction at the
time.

In our anxiety for the welfare of our people and the desire
to eradicate evils harmful to them it must be understood once
for all that this matter — the prohibition of the cultivation, sale

32 The Chinese Recorder [January

and consumption of opium — must be put into force without fail,
and it is our command that the governor of Shuntien prefecture
(Peking and dependencies) and the viceroys and governors
and Tartar-generals throughout our Empire shall see to it that
our wishes are strictly obeyed by themselves and their sub-
ordinates. Let each family, each household, be exhorted to put
away from themselves the obnoxious habit, and like a disease
let it be plucked out by the roots. It shall be the duty of the
Customs' Service diligently to keep watch over the import of
opium from abroad, whilst it is even more important to see
to it that the Imperial regulations on the subject of the planting
and cultivation of the poppy within the Empire shall be obeyed
and the production reduced each year, so that the cultivation
of the drug shall cease within the limit of time set for it by the
said Imperial regulations."

Respecting the decree that all officials must abandon
the opium habit, the following Edict from a pronouncement
of the Throne, dated October loth, is reported to have pro-
duced already a fair stampede among officials in some quarters
to get thoroughly cured and to be able to retain their
posts : —

"As for the civil and military officials in the provinces if
only allowed six months to do so, it is to be feared that all will
not be able to obey our Edict ; we, therefore, command, as
an extraordinary act of mercy, that beginning from the day of the
promulgation of this our Decree, a further limit of three
months be granted in order to enable all officials, high and
low, to get rid entirely of their habit. It is to be hoped that
all high officials, whether within the capital, or without, will
do their utmost to obey our commands as soon as possible.
As for the others, civil and military, those in Peking are to
be under the surveillance of the high officials of the various
ministries, while those in the provinces are to be watched
by the Tartar-generals, viceroys, governors and Manchu
brigadier-generals of the Tartar garrisons, who are to see that
their subordinates obey our commands in deed and in fact. Let
no one be careless or treat them with levity or indifference.
Should any lack the will-power to go on with their self-denial
or, being afraid of the difficulties in their path, stop midway,
so that when the extra limit of time granted by extraordin-
ary Imperial clemency has come it finds them still unable
to get rid of the baneful habit, they shall be dealt with in

1908] Imperial Edicts of 1907 53

accordance with the regulations already approved of by us,
and there shall be no mercy given to delinquents. Let no
one say that we have not given him ample time to reform
himself. ' '

• CONSTITUTIONAL, AND ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS

In pursuance of last year's memorable Edicts promising the
setting up of consititutional government, the Throne has since
repeatedly issued exhortations to the study of political science
and the cultivation of honesty and zeal in the discharge of
public duty as necessary preliminaries to efficient self-govern-
ment. Various forms and stages of political organization have
been set forth more or less definitely in this year's Edicts. On
September 20th the following was issued : —

" As the two Houses of Parliament cannot at once be in-
augurated, it will be necessary first to establish an assembly of
ministers to confer on State matters and to prepare the founda-
tions of constitutional government. Prince P'u Lun and Grand
Secretary Sun Chia-nai are appointed to preside over the said
assembly, and they are commanded to confer with the Grand
Council on details and modes of procedure."

Local self-government in an indefinite way, and wholly
bureaucratic in its control, is provided for in a comprehensive
general edict under date of September 30th.

"By command of H. I. M. the Empress-Dowager, Tze-hsi-
tuan-yu, etc., we issued an Edict sanctioning the principles of
a constitutional government for the country ; the date for
actually putting into force the Decree is to depend upon the speed
or tardiness of our subjects, who shall be able to show a proper
appreciation and knowledge of the benefits of self-government
to be granted them. As a proof of the earnest wish of the
Throne to give a constitution to the country, we have already
commanded the establishment, as a first step to the desired end
of parliamentary representation, of an Imperial assembly to dis-
cuss Affairs of State (Tzechenyuen). In this Imperial Assembly
it will be possible to judge of the speeches and arguments that
will be heard in the future parliament, and their effectiveness or
otherwise will entirely depend upon the nobility of thought
and patriotic aims of the representations. It is evident, therefore,
that the people must first be educated and taught that they
must cultivate loyalty to sovereign and love for country as the
groundwork of knowledge, for without education how can the

34 The Chinese Recorder [January

people obtain knowledge ? and without being given the opportu-
nity of local self-government how can they obtain the requisite
experience to govern the whole country ? They must, more-
over, eschew all evil thoughts that may lead the country into
trouble and unrest. To bring this about a careful selection of
men of integrity and honesty must be made to fill the ranks of
town councils and local representation — men who have the
interests and welfare of the majority in their hearts and are
willing to work diligently for the good of their fellow-men. We,
therefore, hereby command the Ministry of Education to draw
up a scheme of universal education throughout the Empire and
of the books that are to be studied in the schools thereof. We
also command the Ministry of the Interior to draw up a scheme
of local self-government for the Empire, and, having obtained
our sanction, to have these two schemes promulgated by Im-
perial Rescript for the information of the whole country. The
viceroys and governors of provinces will then be commanded
to select the places where self-government is to be first tenta-
tively tried. The Ministries named above will also make
frequent inspections to find out whether our commands have
been carried out or not, so that as early a date as possible may
be arrived at for the granting of the Constitution and Parlia-
mentary Representations to the country. Let us have tangible
results and not merely hollow appearances. This is our earnest
hope. ' '

Finally as a connecting link between local and national
bodies, provincial councils, not elective but appointive, are to
be established by Edict of October 19th as follows : —

"As an Imperial assembly for the study of government
affairs has been established in Peking it is also necessary that
similar institutions shall be established in the provincial capitals
by the viceroys and governors concerned, who shall select
ofl&cials and gentry of probity and enlightenment to start these
provincial assemblies. The members are to be selected from
among gentry and people of the provinces fitted by integrity,
character and ability for the purpose. No dishonest men or
worthless characters shall be elected to such assemblies. Their
duty will be to confer witli and advise the officials about the
abolition of all worthless institutions and the starting of neces-
sary work for the public welfare and to assist the officials to put
them into force. Matters of high importance must first be
referred by the officials concerned to the Throne for approval.

1908] Imperial Edicts of 1907. 5 5

Finally, in future, members of the Imperial assembly in Peking
are to be selected from amongst those provincial assemblies.
If the Imperial assembly needs information or advice on public
questions recourse may be had to the provincial assemblies by
application through the viceroys and governors of provinces.
Besides the assemblies in the provincial capital each prefecture,
sub-prefecture and district shall also start its local assembly
or council, and this work is to be arranged and started at
the same time as the provincial assemblies and on the same
basis of procedure. ' '

TRADE AND IMPERIAL FEDERATION

One of the most notable pronouncements of the year is the
recognition of the need of systematic development of industries
and national commerce. It is expressed in terms which seem
a singular mixture of the crude and the scholastic, but it em-
phasizes a need of organization which will one day be met. The
Edict is dated August 2nd and says : —

" China at the present day has her hands full of national
problems. Her commonalty have not improved in riches ;
hence the necessity of paying more attention to finance and
economic conditions. To attain this end we established the
Ministry of Agriculture, Works and Commerce, to attend to those
matters, but it is to be regretted that although several years
have passed, the minds of the people have not been opened and
enlightened as much as should be, and this has been due to the
fact that officials of all degrees have not inaugurated reforms
with proper energy and earnestness, while their manner of
exhortation and their advice for the encouragement of the
people have not been satisfactory. We, therefore, hereby com-
mand the viceroys and governors and Tartar-generals of pro-
vinces to instruct their subordinates to make all haste to start
all kinds of industries that are needed and to exert them-
selves to encourage business amongst the people. Those who
are able to promote agricultural enterprise, mechanical arts
and handicrafts, trade and mines or any other kind of business,
or aid merchants to subscribe capital for industrial enterprise
and succeed in them, such officials and gentry who have worked
to such an end will be rewarded by the Throne to an extra-
ordinary degree. Should any be able to show that he has
succeeded in starting a manufactory or industrial work with
a capital of over ten million taels, where the workmen number

36 The Chinese Recorder [January

several thousand, such persons will be even more greatly
rewarded, even to the extent of being raised to the peerage.
We further command the Ministry concerned to draw up a
scheme of rewards in accordance with the foregoing and report
the same to us without delay. The said Ministry is also
commanded to present an annual report upon conditions of
trade and industries that have been started and brought to
completion and success, and these annual reports are to be
distributed to officials, high and low, throughout the Empire
for their information. Should any official, led by private
animus, fail to give proper assistance and protection to
merchants and tradesmen, such official will be severely punished
and no leniency will be shown. Let our aim be to have no
land lying fallow within our border, no wandering bands of
unemployed people, and let us all work to make our country
wealthy and strong. This is our earnest hope."

An interesting response to recent testimonials of loyalty
on the part of Chinese Emigres in Malaysia is contained in
an edict of August 21st, which, whatever deeper motives it
may have, gives the Imperial imprimatur to a proposal which
shows the Chinese are ready to go to the ends of the earth
for money.

" Decree, in the name of the Empress-Dowager, in reply to
memorial from the Ministry of Agriculture, Works and Com-
merce, in which it is stated that as Chinese residing in the
islands of the South Pacific have now organized themselves
into Merchants' Associations and Chambers of Commerce it is
necessary that a special commissioner be sent by their Majesties
to inspect these organizations and to grant rewards, etc. The
Decree states that their Majesties are greatly pleased to learn
this, and Chinese in the South Pacific have the Imperial appre-
ciation and sympathy. Yang Shih-ch'i, Vice-President of the
Ministry of Agriculture, Works and Commerce, is hereby com-
manded to proceed to the islands of the South Pacific to inspect
these commercial associations and to tell their members of the
Imperial solicitude and desire to take care of them. Further-
more, should any one succeed in bringing together considerable
sums of money for the purpose of starting important mercantile
enterprises for the encouragement of trade, such public bene-
factors will be granted noble rank in reward for their services,
and the authorities are to give them every protection when
they return to China. "

1908] Imperial Edicts of 1907 V!

Other notable Edicts of the year refer to the abolishing of
distinctions between Mancluis and Chinese, the allotting of lands
in severalty, in a restricted way, to members of useless Manchu
garrisons. There are many personal Edicts which exemplify the
strange combination of severity with paternal care which marks
the tone of the Throne toward the people, as in the reprimand-
ing and then the promoting of T'ang Shao-yi, the present
progressive governor at Moukden, and in the degrading and
the restoration of Chao Chi-lin, the censor who virtually im-
peached Prime Minister Prince Ching and his son of gross
bribe-taking. There are numerous Decrees calling for men
of ability to come to the service of the State and conferring
degrees on students, especially those returning from the colleges
of America and Japan, who have passed examinations under the
new rl'gwie. A rather remarkable edict (of July nth) shows a
characteristic striving to reconcile the old and the new order
of things, and with this we close :

THE OLD ORDER CHANGETH. NATIONAL SCHOOL OF PROPRIETIES

" With the new order of things that have forced them-
selves into the lives of the people of the Empire, such as the
changes that have taken place in education, in the army
and in the matter of social amenities, it has been shown
that steps must also be taken to fix or reorganize, as the
case may be, customs that have hitherto obtained amongst
the commonalty in regard to details in funerals, sacrifices, head
dresses, marriage ceremonies, articles of use and dress. On a
previous occasion the Ministry of Rites memorialized us con-
cerning the establishment of a school for the instruction of
national ceremonials (Li - hsueh - kuan). The said ministry
has now presented to us a detailed report as to how matters
should be dealt with in regard to the above, and we hereby give
our sanction to the same in order that they be immediately put
into force. We hereby further command the ministers of the
said Ministry of Rites to take the lead at the head of their
subordinates in the said school of national ceremonials, to care-
fully go over ancient and modern customs and to study the every-
day life of the commonalty, select the best amongst them and
bring them to our notice, in order that we may promulgate these
recommendations as law to the people of the Empire. This is
a proof of our earnest desire to prepare the way for granting a
constitution and parliamentary representation to the country."

38 The Chinese Recorder [January

The Commercial Situation in 1907

[Prepared from Notes made by a Foreign Merchant in China]

THE year 1907 will certainly not be reckoned among the
prosperous ones recorded in the annals of trade in China.
The opening of the year found import merchants, both
foreign and Chinese, with heavy stocks of foreign merchandise
on their hands. The previous year had seen some kind of
disaster to crops, either by drought or flood with consequent
famine in many districts. Owing to the spell of prosperity
experienced in Western lands the prices of goods were high and
deliveries tardy, so that the real position of things was not
at first realized to be of thje serious nature that the progress of the
year has proved. The high price of silver enabled those not
encumbered already to purchase abroad, and the stocks they
brought into the market made a bad position worse. The
northern markets of China have not even yet recovered from
the baneful effects of war and have not been able to relieve
Shanghai of their normal supplies. The spoilt crops of large
areas and the famine already referred to had also stopped the
usual demand of certain places. All this has produced a strain
that has in the course of the year proved too much for many
Chinese merchants. Values have fallen all round and failures
have been growing commoner.

At the time of writing the financial crisis in America has
had the effect of tightening money all over the world, the
unprecedented demand for gold has made that commodity dear
in the largest silver-producing country in the world, while
India, the world's largest customer for the purchase of silver, lias
famine commencing to stalk through the land. Silver holdings
are therefore being thrown on to the market for realization.
China has yet huge amounts to remit abroad for stocks still held
here unsold and silver has fallen and is still falling, and until
the rains come in India in May or June there seems little
prospect of an advance in the price of silver. This fact is,
however, preventing fresh stocks from coming on to the market
and may improve prices for those in hand if, with the New
Year, the markets in China resume their normal demand.
Generally speaking, foreign trade in China during 1907 has
gone from bad to worse until it seems that the lowest point
must now have been reached, and we may hope to see a rift iu

1908J The Commercial Situation in 1907 39

the cloud of depression. A country with four hundred millions
of population provides a market which must revive when crops
and harvests are good.

The growth of railways continues ; a new spirit is abroad
among the younger generation in the cities and especially in
the regions around the treaty ports. The cry of China for the
Chinese, though crude in its application, is but the sign of a
stirring of the sentiment of patriotism that may lead to the true
unity of the Chinese Empire. The exclusion laws of America,
Canada and Australia, are no longer regarded with indifiference
by the people of the land, and though the desire for a better
system of education, for the development of railways and for a
constitutional government has not yet produced very much in
the way of actual result, still it is moving the minds of very
many. To estimate aright the present results of progress they
must be viewed in their cumulative aspect. The opposition
to. opium, itself a welcome evidence of a new spirit of life and
vigour, has made tremendous strides as a popular movement in
the year. What China now needs commercially is that her
mineral resources shall be opened up and developed by modern
methods, that the construction of trunk railroads shall be
pushed forward rapidly for the development of her Empire and
the welding together of its scattered parts into a great unity.
Her system of agriculture too should be brought up to date and
her silk, tea and other exports improved. At the same time her
whole system of taxation with its dreadful and increasingly
heavy pressure on the small farmer proprietor should receive
detailed attention, for in the matter of the taxation of land and
the irregular process of its collection China is coming perilously
near to killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

The mercantile community in this Empire would be wise
to welcome the spread of Christian ideas among the people as
making for that friendly relationship with other nations, without
which legitimate commerce cannot hope to exist ; as tending to
the improvement of relationships between man and man and
class and class ; as improving the position of women and thereby
raising the standard of home life ; as aiming at the abolition of
superstition with its huge misuse of wealth in magic ceremonies,
the tremendous economic waste through the burning of paper
money and so on, all of which wealth will then go to
the increase of the comfort and prosperity of the living of
the land instead of being wasted on the superstitious support

40 The Chinese Recorder [January

of the spirits of the dead and the keeping of a low class
priesthood in idleness.

Those living in the Treaty Ports who have the evidence of
change and progress around them are scarcely in a position to
realize to what a comparatively small extent this change has
affected the huge areas of the interior. What has been accom-
plished is that a few drops of progressive yeast have been placed
here and there throughout the Empire for the leavening of the
whole lump of conservative ignorance. But though working
slowly the process is sure, indeed inevitable, and another ten
years will see great changes. At the present time foreign
oil, cotton cloths, matches, condensed milk, not to mention
cigarettes, can now be found almost anywhere, and these do but
represent a fraction of what will be imported in days to come if
China is in earnest in her attempts to educate the people and
determines to tap her mineral wealth. The force of boycott
which has been appealed to by the Chinese specifically against
America in the last two years, and is now suggested in Che-
kiang as a weapon of protest against Great Britain, had a
specific cause. It was the wrong being done under the Exclu-
sion Acts that appealed to the popular mind, and although the
popular feeling was made much use of by Chinese who had axes
of their own to grind and for the time being produced a good
deal of harm, it was eventually abortive and in itself proved the
growth in unity of purpose in China. It marked a great
advance in comparison with the boycott which was tried against
the French in 1884 ^"d was practically a failure. While this is
always a weapon that may be used for a time against a nation
and can always serve the purpose of a threat it is not one that is
natural to the business genius of the Chinese, for, speaking
generally, in commercial relationships the Chinese are remark-
ably free from prejudice. The instinct to trade is so keen and
the appreciation of good things from whatever source, whether
it be general merchandise, machinery, modern methods of
locomotion or what not, so ready, that it seems the only thing
lacking to bring about an immediate revival of trade is an
increase of purchasing power. And it is almost self-evident
that everything that tends to the enlightenment of this race, to
the increase of the intelligence of its youth, everything that
makes for the establishment of peace within its borders, makes
also for this power. With this growth in enlightenment will
come the desire for the development of the resources of the

1908]

Correspondence

4t

country with its much needed increase in revenue for the
national exchequer ; eflSciency in administration for the aboli-
tion of official business and private 'squeezes,' and for the
promotion of mutual intercourse and the amelioration of the
social condition. On all such improvements the spirit of Chris-
tianity waits. Every foreigner in this land, and most especially
those who are resident in the interior, who by friendly inter-
course gains the confidence and respect of the Chinese, becomes
an ambassador of that international amity which lies at the root
of all sound international commerce. Progress (which is the
inevitable concomitant of the missionary enterprise) and com-
merce (the province of the merchant) are perforce knit together
in this Empire for its common weal.

Correspondence.

CONFERENCE TRANSLATIONS.

To the Editor of

"The Chinese Recorder."

Dear Sir : May I take advant-
age of your columns to notify
missionaries throughout the pro-
vinces that the Chinese trans-
lation of the " lyCtter to the
Chinese Church" and "Resolu-
tions on the Chinese Church"
have now been sent by post to
all mission stations — as far as
they are given in the Directory
of Protestant Missionaries.

A parcel containing several
copies of each pamphlet and a
circular letter has been sent to
one representative of each mis-
sion in each centre or station
where foreign- missionaries re-
side.

A few more copies of these
translations remain, and may be
had on application to the under-
signed. There are also spare
copies of the " Resolutions as
adopted by the Conference," the

" Letter to the Home Churches,"
" Letter to the Chinese Church,"
and the Memorials on Opium,
and to the Chinese Government.
Copies will be forwarded on ap-
plication to any missionaries
sending lo cts. stamp to cover
postage.

The Memorial to the Chinese
Government was duly presented
to the Waiwupu by the British,
American and German Ministers,
and the following acknowledg-
ment was received by Rev. W.
A. P. Martin, lyL-D., Chairman
of Committee appointed to trans-
late and present the Memorial,
on 3rd November :

" We noted that this Conference
occurred in May of this year at Shang-
hai ; that the delegates represented all
the Missions in China ; that the main
purport of the two memorials enclosed
was that Missions are of a non-
political character ; and that the
British and German Ministers united
with the American Charg^ d'Affaires
in asking that the said memorials be
presented to the Throne and an Edict
issued regarding them. We now have
the honour to state that we have
memorialized the Throne in the

42

The Chinese Recorder

[January

matter. It has accordingly become
necessary for us to inform Y. E. of
this fact. We avail ourselves, etc. etc.

(Signed) Na Tung.

Yuan Shih-k'ai.
Lien Fang.
Liang Tun-ykn."

Yours,

G. H. BONDFIELD,

Hon. Sec. Ex. Com.

SUNDAY SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS.

To the Editor of

"The Chinese Recorder."

Dear Sir : Influenced some-
what by what we heard at the
Centenary Conference and else-
where about the Sunday School
work in India, the Sunday School
Committee of this Presbytery
decided to try the plan of hav-
ing an examination for all the
church members who were wil-
ling to take it, using the Scrip-
ture studied during the first half
of the year in the International
Sunday School Lessons as basis
for the questions. Most of the
pastors and leaders took up the
matter fairly well, and examina-
tions were held in twenty-two
places on the day appointed.

Three sets of questions were
prepared: one to be answered in
writing, the second orally by
adults without much education,
and the third by the children.
We have, according to Presby-
terial records, a little over 3,000
pupils in our Sunday Schools,
and of these 895 took the ex-
amination, 157 taking the written
examination, 582 the oral exami-
nation for adults and 156 the ex-
amination for children. Accord-
ing to the markings sent in by
the examiners, the number who
stood over ninety per cent, was
108 ; over seventy and under
ninety per cent. , 238, under se-
venty per cent., 549.

All of the pastors and evange-
lists who reported at the Presby-
tery as having tried the plan,
spoke in favor of it. It had
stirred the people up to a greater
interest in their Bible study and
made them feel that Presbytery
expected something of them along
that line. Another examination
will be held next year, when the
Sunday School Lessons for the
first half of the year will be the
subject, i.e., the Gospel of John.

As the Sunday School Com-
mittee appointed at the Centenary
Conference seems to be having
some difficulty in finding the
right man to call as General
Secretary for China, why can-
not a plan similar to the above
be followed tentatively by each
mission or church organization?
Yours truly,

W. F. Seymour.

missionary statistics.
To the Editor of
"The Chinese Recorder."

Dear Sir : While not wanting
to trespass upon your space I
should value the opportunity of
referring to two letters which
have recently appeared in the
Chinese Recorder in reply to
mine in the August issue.

The Rev. D. MacGillivray
fears that my letter may make
it appear as though the statistics
of the C. E. Z. M. S. do not ap-
pear in his book, A Century of
Missio7is in China. I have writ-
ten to him personally and would
add here that my remark had
reference solely to the statistical
summary at the end of the vol-
ume from which table quota-
tions are naturally made. I
should be very sorry to appear
to cast any reflection upon the
value and thoroughness of the
book as a whole which surpasses

1908]

Correspondence

43

in detail any other recent volume
on China.

The Rev. W. T. Hobart in
his letter kindly corrects an error
in my letter, for which I am
obliged. The error is, however,
I trust, not so serious as it at
first sight appears. In the pre-
paration of my statistical tables,
not knowing Mr. Bitton's basis,
I endeavored to follow past
precedents and compared Prof.
Harlan Beach's tables in his Pro-
testant Missionary Atlas and the
last edition (1905) of The Hills
of Tang. In the last mentioned
book Prof. Beach gives 24,117
communicants for the Methodist
Episcopal Mission and adds the
footnote, " This number includes
probationers who are regarded as
communicants.^^ As my basis
was communicants I followed
Prof. Beach's precedent.

The statement in my letter
'•We (Mr. Bitton and myself)
have both included probationers
with communicants in the case
of the M. E. M. as their report
does not differentiate them,"
arose from the above mentioned
facts. I evidently mentally
transposed Prof. Beach and Mr.
Bitton and had the policy of the
M. E. M. and not its report in
mind. The report gives four
columns : — Members, Probation-
ers, Members and Probationers,
and other adherents. The fig-
ures I give as communicants in
The Chinese Empire will there-
fore be correct if Prof. Beach's
footnote correctly states the M.
E. M. policy, though I regret
the confusion in my letter pointed
out by Mr. Hobart.

The main point of my letter
was to urge that communicants
only should be the basis of future
statistics. I still trust this may
be possible.

Yours faithfully,

Marshali, Broomhai,!,.

RBPLY TO RUSTIC.

To the Editor of

"The Chinese Recorder."

Dear Sir : When Rustic attack-
ed the syntax of the sentence
in Dr. Richard's article, he must
have been short of matter. He
certainly was lacking in taste
when he let cheap sarcasm do
the work of argument. He is
deficient in his logic in dealing
with the case and remarkably
feeble in the conclusion he draws
that the "Dr. and others must
move on, etc."

L,et me point out :

I. That Dr. Richard does not
.say that the principal consti-
tuents of the K. of G. are trams,
etc. His writings do not even
imply as much. If these minister
to the righteousness of nations,
peace and joy amongst men, then
these too may be counted a
factor in the progress of mankind
and must operate under the
redeeming will of God. The
explanation and conclusion in
the letter are Rustic's own and
are somewhat seedy. It may
here be pertinent to ask whether
Rustic will admit any relation
between the kingdom of God
and material progress, political
advancement and human free-
dom. If he does, then he agrees
with Dr. Richard ; if he does
not, then he has arrayed against
him all the evangelical preachers
of the day, such as Rev. F. B.
Meyer, B.A., etc., etc. In that
case we have the unexpected
find of a second Simon Stylites,
high on his pinnacle withdrawn
from the hum of cars and the
pleasures of rickshas, baking
in the summer sun, or cooling
himself in some lonely mountain
cave.

2. I would also observe that
whilst there is a difference be-
tween physical and moral laws —

44

The Chinese Recorder

[January

though in this connection it
would be well for us to ponder
Dr. Drummond's able treatise on
the matter — yet I take it that
Dr. Richard was not referring to
this aspect of the matter in the
case of the drunkard and the
million, but rather to the change
of mental attitude that had come
about. It may be said that both
parties had determined,

Not in thought, not e'en in inmost

thought
To think again the things that

made the past so pleasant, etc.

That is to say, the one would
never find pleasure in going to
a public house and the other in
riding on donkeys. And in a
certain sense the question is re-
duced to a simple problem in
physics — the amount of the
momentum in each case. This of
course is easy of solution. Apart
from this simple calculation in
mathematics the point is that Dr.
Richard uses a very common
literary custom and expresses
himself by a pregnant expres-
sion.

3. I think everyone will agree
with Mr. Morse when he said at
a public meeting the other even-
ing that Dr. Richard is not
thought any the less of because
of his other-worldliness. He
would be the first to own and
confess that in all progress the

Divine is the only permanent
element. Is not this evident to
every cultured mind who has
read the October article and
other writings of Dr. Richard ?

4. Now the question suggests
itself on the morality of such
letters as Rustic has written.
Do they not indicate either care-
less reading or little acquaintance
with the writings criticized ? In
any case there is a question
of righteousness involved. We
are exhorted to arrive at just
judgments. This is an impor-
tant element in the courtesy and
morality of the heavenly king-
dom.

If Rustic will confess that he
is not ashamed of his own, which
I feel certain caused his mind
honest pride in preparing, we
may have a friendly discussion
on these matters. So I will not
say more now except remark
that I am deeply grieved that
Rustic in his thoughtless mo-
ments treated with such levity
the sacred name of Deity. In
some article that appeared in
your magazine not so long ago
from an uncle to a nephew there
is some wise advice — but, Sir,
why proceed to quote ? I now
live in a town, and beg to
remain,

Yours, etc.,

Evan Morgan.

Our Book Table.

The "Standard" system of
Romanisation is rapidly being
taken up all over China. The
Educational Association printed
the first edition of the Primer of
Standard Romanisation with
some apprehension that it would
be a financial loss. I^ast year

this was their best selling book.
Now we have this " Easy Cate-
chism of Christian Doctrine." It
is just what was needed for
enquirers' classes. Clear type,
white paper, good form, this
book is sure to have a large sale.
(Price four cents per copy).

1908]

Our Book Table

45

Andrew Murray's Abide in Christ.
Translated by 1). MacGillivray.
Mandarin. C. L,- S. , Sliaugliai.
8 cents.

Excellent Mandarin. Ought
to be circulated by the thousand.

Outlines of Gospel Truth, by Rev. R.
A. Haden. Chinese Tract Society,
Shanghai.

A catechism of Christian Doc-
trine, explanatory, hortatory and
devotional. This book is in
Mandarin, and simpler Mandarin
than is usually employed. Tho.se
who want a catechism for the
very ignorant will find this use-
ful.

Physical Exercises for Girls. Trans-
lated by Ethel M. Squires, B.A.
Illustrated by Rev. A. Evans. C.
L. S., Shanghai. 8 cents.

This book is in Mandarin,
but one unfamiliar with the
subject will find it difficult to
understand. For instance, ^ —
J® :^, " Walk in one place" !
If one walks at all one cannot
remain in one place. Does it
mean ' ' Beat time ' ' ? The artist
has evidently found it a hard
task to depict little girls in Chi-
nese dress performing athletic
exercises without disarranging
their robes or appearing less
decorous than maidens who
observe the (Chinese) proprieties
ought to be. He has succeeded
as well as possible.

Commentary on the four Gospels, by
Mr. A. J. H. Moule, B.A. \V6nli.
The Chinese Tract Society, Shang-
hai.

Mr. Moule' s Commentary on
the Old Testament is well known.
He has a well-deserved reputa-
tion for careful, devout and ac-
curate writing. He means to go
through — and this book is the

first instalment of —the New Testa-
ment. The comments are really
enlightening and to the point.
Chinese pastors and helpers will
find this book full of suggestions
and extremely useful to them
when preparing their sermon
matter. The book is printed on
maopien paper in the good old
fashioned style beloved of the
Tract Society.

The Scripture Idea of Sin and Salva-
tion, by r3r. Laidlaw. Translated
and erfited by Rev. E. Morgan.
Christian Literature Society, Shang-
hai. 15 cents.

This is a good book on a great
subject, and it has been carefully
translated. The style is Wen-li,
and must be described as ' 'High."
Mr. Morgan, evidently, means
this book to be used by those
Chinese pastors and teachers
who have had an excellent
education and some training in
theology ; the ordinary church
member will find this book
beyond him. Even the best
Christian scholars will find ii
needful to talk over the contents
of the book with their foreign
pastors if they are to understand
it thoroughly. Such a phrase as

m i mm %^ y:xi^ m i>^^ ^

"ft A >& will bear a lot ot ex-
planation, and such phrases are
numerous in this book.

The printing is in clear type
on white paper and has a very
good appearance. The references
to Scripture passages are soriie-
times in small type and double
columns, which is good, and
sometimes in the same type as
the text, which is not so good.

Beautiful Joe, The Autobiography of
a Dog, by Marshall Saunders. Tran-
slated by Mrs. MacGillivray. C. L.
S., Shanghai. 20 cents.

This is a little book which has
had a large sale in Britain and

46

The Chinese Recorder

[January

America : its aim is to teach
children to be kind to animals.
The Shanghai branch of the
Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals gave a
gratit to defray the expense of
printing the book. Mrs. Mac-
Gillivray has made the transla-
tion into very simple Wen-li,
which is almost as easy as
Mandarin. The book is excel-
lently printed on white paper
and is in large clear type. There
is one coloured and three black
and white illustrations by a native
artist ; very good ones too. The
Chinese need instruction on no
subject more than on that of
kindness to dumb creatures, and
this is the only book of its kind
in the Chinese language. There
are millions of children in China
who would prize the book if it
were put into their hands and
even the grown-up population
would read it with pleasure and,
let us hope, with profit.

Pioneers of Science. By Sir Oliver
Lodge. Translated by Rev. J. Sadler.
C. L. S , Shanghai. 25 cents.

The English original of this
is an intensely interesting book
which tells in popular language
the history of the pioneers of
science and estimates the value
of the achievements of each
pioneer. The author, Sir Oliver
Lodge is, as everyone knows,
one of the most famous living
scientists. His estimate of the
work accomplishe 1 by his pre-
decessors is of very great value
and his exposition of the progress
of science is so lucid that it has
all the charm of a story.

The translation has been well
done. Any intelligent Chinese
with an ordinary education ought
to read this book with interest
and pleasure. The type is clear,
the paper good and the get up
of the book pleasing. J. D.

China in Legend and Story. By C.
Campbell Brown, Presbyterian Mis-
sion, Atnoy. 253 pages. Fourteen
illustrations from original pho-
togjaphs. Oliphant, Anderson and
Ferrier, Edinburgh. 3/6 net.

Mr. Brown has given us a
very interesting and well-told
collection of some seventeen
stories, true to legend or fact,
covering a wide range, represent-
ing every class of the community,
from mandarin to thieves and
beggars, and embracing as well
some of the Christian element.
His view-point is, as far as pos-
sible, Chinese rather than foreign,
and shows religious transforma-
tion from within rather than from
without. The scene of the
events lies in southern Fuhkien,
and the object of the book is to
show how Chinese people live
and think, first when they are
heathen, and afterwards when
they are Christian.

Health Hints for Missionaries to
China By H.W. Boone, M.D.; P.B.
Cousland, M.B., CM.; C. J. Daven-
port, F.R.C.S. Published by the
Medical Mis.sionary Association of
China. 22 pp. Price 20 cts. For sale
at the Presbyterian Mission Press.

This little pamphlet is design-
ed to guard the missionary
against the encroachments of
disease and how properly to
conduct himself here in this
land of malaria and mosquitoes,
though primarily it was prepar-
ed for the use of Boards and
candidates at home, describing
necessary outfit, needed health
examination, etc. If we all
hearkened, there would be fewer
graves in China. Hear this:
"The best armament for a mis-
sionary is common sense — sense
to know how to act, how to dress,
how to take recreation in the new
environment in which he finds
himself. Disaster is often born
of ignorance ; more often it is the
outcome of folly."

1908]

Our Book Table

47

A new international journal
for students is announced for
January ist, 1908. It will be
the official periodical of the
World's Student Christian Fe-
deration, the organization that
unites the various national move-
ments for promoting Christian
work among students. The new
magazine will be published in
English. Mr. John R. Mott will
be the editor. It is to be issued
quarterly from the office of the
Federation, 3 West Twenty-
ninth street. New York. The
magazine will be a newspaper
only ill the sense that it will
chronicle the most important
events and call attention to
I achievements in Christian work
among students in all parts of
the world. Real contributions
to knowledge of the conditions
of student life in various coun-
tries will be published. One
article will appear in each num-
ber dealing with the problems of
the student's personal religious
life. Considerable space will be
devoted to discussion of the best
methods of dealing with the great
problems of Christian work as
carried on in the various coun-
tries. Reviews of books of inter-
national interest to students will
be a feature and editorials will
appear in each number.

Life of Paul, ^mU^^B- Ameri-
can Mission Press. Pages 112.
Maopien paper. Map of Paul's
travels. Price 9 cents.

This is by the Rev. James
Steele, of the Swatow Mission of
the English Presbyterian Church.
Until Medley's Paul was issued
by the North China Tract
Society (was this the famous
and solitary book of the year ?)
there was a great gap in our
literature on Paul. With the
exception of MacGillivray's
Spiritual Development of St.

Paul, which of course did not
deal with the outward facts of
the life, there was nothing at
all. Now Bible-classes, etc.,
can have a capital hand-book on
the great missionary. Mr. Steele
has mainly followed Dr. J. Paton
Gloag's Life of Paul in the well-
known Bible Class Primers (T.
and T. Clark, 38 George St.,
Edin.), though he has also pro-
fited by Hastings' Bible Dictio-
nary and Sir W. M. Ramsay's
wonderful researches on the
scenes of Paul 's travels. On pages
6, 7, 15 are some obscure lines.
On page 6 it is stated that Simeon,
who saw the infant Jesus in the
temple, was the father of Gama-
liel. The note of conjecture
has evidently dropped out. The
Jesus of Col. iv. 11 here appears

(p. 4.) as m m, "ot as m 1&,

which is apparently the usual
form in all the versions of the
Scriptures. But these are trivial
things, which can be improved
in a second edition. The map
is very inferior to that in Pott's
Extension of the Kingdom. This
of course is not the book to
hand to an unbeliever when
you want to show him the sort
of stuff Christ's followers were
made of in those days. It is for
a class with a red-hot teacher.
Otherwise these are but dry
bones. The life of Paul, to in-
spire with heroic ideals, is still
to be written, and should it not
be written soon ? A hundred
years has gone, and yet no po-
pular life of Paul 1

BIBLE WORK IN CHINA.

From the 91st Annual Report of the
American Bible Society. 1907.

The China agency of this
Society was established in 1876.
It has six colportage districts in
different parts of the Empire.
Its circulation is largely in Man-

48

The Chinese Recorder

[January

darin, High Wen-li and Easy
Weu-li, besides various local and
colloquial dialects. The circula-
tion reported for 1906 is 497,659
vols., making an aggregate cir-
culation of 10,488,881 vols, since
1876.

What a change since Robert
Morrison declared that to circulate
the Sacred Scriptures in China
extensively is not practicable.
And even ten years later the cir-
culation, notwithstanding all
efforts to give away the books,
was only 1,500 vols. Now, though
three great Bible societies are
busy, they all are more than
occupied with the distribution,
besides all the books are now
sold.

The ruinous exchange hit this
Society very hard this year ; the
most alarming retrenchments
having been necessary in con-
sequence. The sad results are
seen in the figures for 1906, which
fall below those of 1907. Thus

Bibles. T'ments. Portions.
For 1905 6,939 32,082 586,831
For 1906 5,952 28,814 399,753

But now that exchange is
once more favourable we may
expect to see a forward move-
ment. The statement that the
Bible was to be introduced into
the government schools of the
Ivianghu viceroyalty is still going
the rounds. We only wish it
were true. At the same time
the schools are calling for copies
of our Sacred Classic. Many
others, too, wish complete copies
instead of the small portions
with which they were wont to be
satisfied. Doubtless the growth
of the Chinese church also helps
to account for this demand. The
total of the three societies is much
ahead of 1906, and if this Society
had not to dismiss over forty col-
porteurs, its total would also be
larger. We call special attention
to the sketch of the late Bishop

Schereschewsky on pages 10 and
II. We hope a life of him will
be written. He was one of the
most remarkable missionaries
who ever laboured for the con-
version of the Chinese.

Not many mission secretaries
have made better use of their
time on their abundant travels
than has Rev. Dr. Arthur Jud-
son Brown, of the Presbyterian
Board of Missions, who was one of
the first to visit China after the
Boxer uprising and who extend-
ed his journeys over a large part
of the globe.

Of the vast increment of
knowledge thus accrueing his
own Society was the first to reap
the benefit, yet all Societies and
a great circle of readers are
indebted to him for much illumi-
nation from his ' ' New Era in
the Philippines," and especially
from "New Forces in Old
China," a volume of singular
range and penetration of judg-
ment when it is remembered that
its author was in the East for
the first time. To these valu-
able contributions to missionary
and general literature Dr. Brown
has now added a third of a quite
different sort, called "The For-
eign Missionary," with the sub-
title of "An Incarnation of a
World Movement," published by
the Fleming H. Revell, Co. In
the compass of four hundred
pages and under nineteen chap-
ters Dr. Brown discusses the
entire range of topics connected
with "the foreign missionary,"
beginning with the Motive and
the Aim of his work, including
the General Administration of the
Board, the Qualification and Ap-
pointment, First Impressions and
Language Study, The Mission-
ary at Work ; his Financial Sup-
port, his Physical, his Intel-

1908]

Our Book Table

49

lectual and his Spiritual Ivife ;
his Relations to the Home Board,
to the Home Churches, to his
Associates, to the Natives, to
the Native Church and to his
Critics. Three chapters on The
Real Strain of Missionary Life,
the vSpirit of tlie Missionary, and
the Missionary's Reward close
a book of unique value which
ought to be read not only by all
missionary candidates, by all
Student Volunteers, and those
who are taking courses of mis-
sion study of any sort, but like-
wise by the rank and file of those
who believe in missions and who
contribute to them.

A. H. S.

Twentieth Annual Report of the
Christian Literature Society for
China, 1906-1907.

This is the "Diffusion" So-
ciety's Report, and the titles
of the paragraphs into which it
is divided give a fair idea of
its interesting matter : — World
Movements affecting China, The
Mercantile Attitude, The Mis-
sionary Attitude, Missionary
Adaptation, Some Missionary
Ideals, and so forth.

The paragraphs to be especial-
ly commended to missionaries
and their Home Boards are those
dealing with ' Adaptation ' and
' Ideals.' They will not perchance
meet with unanimous accept-
ance, but they draw attention
to serious problems and they
emphasize the Society's appeal
for an increase in the number
of missionaries devoted to the
work of literature. This appeal,
though a hardy annual, has lost
none of its force or urgency. A
definite request is made in this
Report for twelve men to take
up the following duties on behalf
of Christian mission work iu
China : —

One, to rear! Japanksk books sent
into Cliina and follow their effect. We
oujjht to know what they are doing.
They also are after the soul of China.

One, to read Chinese newspapers and
books of the secular press. We oujjht
to watch the trend of native thoujjht
and meet it adequately and continuous-

One, to revise some books of ours and
bring them up to date and generally
act as editorial secretary.

Two, to edit the "Daily" which
was so much talked of at tlie Cente-
nary Conference, but which could
never begin without new men.

One man to travel among mission-
ary centres and conventions and make
our books known.

One, to be the mainspring of our
Central Hook Depot in Ilonan Road.

Five, to produce new literature in con-
j unction with the ablest Chinese scho-
lars that can be procured. Total 12.

The sales of books and papers
by the C. I,. S. during the
year amounted to the sum of
$12,205.78 in spite of much com-
petition and piracy. Mention is
made in this Report of the great
loss sustained in the deaths of
the late Dr. Y. J. Allen and Sir
Thos. Hanbury.

In view of the criticism with
wdiich part of the work of the
C. Iv. S. has been greeted by
some of the more rigid and cau-
tious among us, it is encouraging
to find the following sentence in
an early paragraph of the Report :
" We, together with all our bre-
thren, will continue to tell China
that there is no hope for in-
dividual or national salvation
apart from the Gospel of the
Blessed Son of God." The Chris-
tian Literature Society for China
may be well assured that while
it continues to hold the ideal of
individual and national salva-
tion through Christ before the
Chinese in adequate, up-to-date
literature it will not lack the
sympathy and support of the
missionary body both here and in
the home lauds.

W. N. B.

50

The Chinese Recorder

[January

Records of the China Centenary Mis-
sionary Conference, held at bhang-
hai, April 25th to Ma}- 8th, 1907.
Shangliai, Ce7itenary Cojiference
Committee, 190J. Price I3.50.

This is a book that should be
in the hands of every missionary
in China and of every person
interested in missions to the Chi-
nese, whether in China or else-
vi'here. The Recorder dealt so
fully with the Conference itself,
both before and after the meet-
ings, that it is unnecessary now
to add much to what has already
been said.

Following a very clear and
satisfactory table of contents
and a list of illustrations there
is a useful and valuable in-
troduction, from which one can
learn the history of the Confer-
ence and something of the time
and care devoted to the prepara-
tion for it by the members of
the Executive Committee — its
constitution, the program and
general arrangements, the at-
tendance, etc. This will be a
useful account when the time
comes for calling the next gene-
ral conference. Following this
the program is given in full as
it was presented to the delegates
on assembling ; the Rules of Pro-
cedure are added, and then we
find the abstract of proceedings
(or Minutes) with a list of all
committees appointed.

On pages i to 405 are printed
in full the twelve papers and
the Memorials which were pre-
pared for the Conference by the
various committees ; papers
which to the student of mission-
ary work in China are a veritable
thesaurus of information. The
history of what has been accom-
plished in the hundred years,
the present aspect, and the plans
that at the time seem wisest for
the future — all are found here,
stated by master minds. And

yet, of no less importance, are
the discussions and resolutions,
which are given on pages 409 to
763. Here the work of each
committee is taken up in regular
order, under each title the " Re-
.solutions as Presented" aie
printed first, followed by the
report of the discussion on them,
and the " Resolutions as Adopt-
ed " are at the end. The ar-
rangement shows the manner in
which the questions were treated
at the Conference ; each com-
mittee published in advance its
paper on the subject which it
had been appointed to consider
and present ; on the evening pre-
vious to the discussion of anyone
committee's subject, printed re-
solutions prepared by the commit-
tee along the lines laid down in
its paper were distributed to the
delegates, and finally these re-
solutions were brought before
the Conference by the commit-
tee's chairman, discussed freely
and fully by both friend and foe,
amended, counter-amended, torn
to pieces, patched together in
new patterns and, in short,
given as complete an overhaul-
ing as to the minds of the dele-
gates they seemed to need, after
which they were adopted by the
Conference in form as now given.

Truly, if any one should desire
to know how the missionary
body of China regards any one
of tlie questions discussed b)^ the
Conference, there can be no more
true wa}'^ of finding out than by
reference to these pages.

It is inevitable that a confer-
ence of such wide representation
and interests should deal with
questions not on its program,
and so it is not surprizing that
there are nearly nine pages of
supplementary resolutions. Part
III gives several elaborate
tables of statistics, prepared from
those " compiled by the Rev.

1908]

Our Book Table

51

W. Nelson Bitton of Shanghai
for ' A Century of Missions in
China.'" They are not the
least useful part of the volume
l)y any ineaii'^, and are both in-
teresting and instructive. In
the Conference Directory, which
occupies the next twenty-five
pages, are found the names of
509 voting members, 63 repre-
sentatives of Home Boards, and
615 visitors, or a total of 1,186
persons who attended the meet-
ings. Three Appendices and a
good (though not perfect) Index
complete the volume.

Tlie subjects discussed by
the Conference and recorded in
this volume are the following :

1. The Chinese Church ; 2.
The Chinese Ministry ; 3. Edu-
cation ; 4. Evangelistic Work ;
5. Women's Work: General; 6,
Woriien's Work: Educational;
7. Christian Literature ; 8. An-
cestral Worship ; 9. Medical
Missions ; 10. The Holy Scrip-
tures; II. Comity and Federa-
tion ; 12. The Missionary and
Public Questions ; 13. Memorials
(i. Letter to the Chinese Church;

2. Memorial to the Home Church-

es ; 3. Memorial on Opium; 4.
Memorials to the Chinese Govern-
ment.) In addition to the reso-
lutions passed on these ques-
tions there were some supplemen-
tary ones.

No other Conference has at-
tempted to gather its opinions on
every theme into definite pro-
nouncements. This time experi-
ence was ready to announce all
those things " which are most
generally believed " on the prin-
ciples and practice of missions
in China. Herein is the unique-
ness of this record, as compared
with all previous ones. Let
Boards and missionaries thumb
the volume well.

ACKNOWLEDGMEN TS.
Macmillxn & Co : —

The Girls' Book of Poetry. Part T,
Junior; Part II, Intermediate; Part
III, Senior. 4d. each.

English Essays. Selected and edited
by J. H. Fowler, M.A., Assistant
Master at Clifton College.

Macnjillan's vSupplementary Read-
ers, Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice,
Julius CiEsar, Macbeth, Kijig Lear,
A Midsummer-Night's Dream and the
Tempest. 6d. each.

Books in Preparation.

(Correspond

The following books are in course
of preparation. Friends engaged in
translation or compilation of books
are invited to notify Rev. D. Mac-
Gillivraj', 44 Boone Road, Shanghai,
of the work they are engaged on, so
thiit this column may be kept up to
date, and overlapping prevented : —

C. L. S. List: —

Sir Oliver Lodge's, the Substance of
Faith Allied to Science, a Catechism,
translated by Dr. Timothy Richard.

Physical Exercises for Girls. By
Miss vSquire (readj').

ence invited.)

Confucianism and Christianity. By
Wang Ping-k'un (out).

Beautiful Joe. Mandarin and W^n-Ii
(ready).

Industrial History of England (out).

Leaders of Modern Industry.

IMilner's England in Egypt (out).

Booker T. Washington's "Up from
Slavery." By Mr. Kao Lun-ching.

Selections from Hastings' Bible Dic-
tionary. By D. MacGillivray.

Laidlaw's Sin and Salvation, E.
Morgan (out).

The Incarnate Saviour. By D. Mac-
Gillivray.

52

The Chinese Recorder

[January

Three-fold Secret of the Holy Spirit
(McConkey). By Miss Home (ready).

Shansi Imperial University List: —

History of Russia. Rambaud.
Biographical Dictionary, published
by Chambers.

Dr. H. A. Johnston's " Studies for
Personal Workers." By Mrs. A. H.
Mateer (out).

Sharman's "Studies in the Life of
Christ." By Miss Sarah Peters.
Nearly ready for the press.

Ballantine's Inductive Studies in
Rlatthew.

Alone with God, by Dr. J. H. Garri-
son. W. Remfry Hunt.

Psalms, Metrical Version of, by F.
W. Bailer (in Press).

The Five Great Offerings. By F. W.
Bailer.

Organ Instructor. By Mrs. R. M.
Mateer.

Teddy's Button. Mrs. R. M. Mateer.

Murray's New Life. R. A. Haden.

Murray's Like Christ. By Mr. Chow,
Hangchow College.

Illustrations for Chinese Sermons,
by C. W. Kastler,

Systematic Theology. 12 parts.
Dr. DuBose.

Torrey's How to Pray. Chen Chung-
kuei.

" Little Faith." Mrs. Crossette.

Expository Com. on Numbers. By
G. A. Clayton.

Little Meg's Children. By Mrs.
Crossette.

Prof. Chwolson's Hegel, Hackel,
Kossuth and the 12th Commandment.
By F. Ohlinger.

Miss Garland proposes a Children's
Hymnal on a scale much larger than
hitherto attempted — in fact a Chinese
"Golden Bells."

Sermons on Acts. Genahr.

Pontoppidan's Explanation of Lu-
ther's Catechism. American Lutheran
Mission.

Outlines of Universal History. H.
L. W. Bevan, Medhurst College.

His Life. Dr. C. H. Fenn.

Concordance Dr. C. H. Fenn.

Essentials of Christianity (Methodist
Theology). Dr. A. P. Parker.

Torrey's What the Bible Teaches.
By J. Speicher.

Tholuck's Sermon on the Mount.
By J. Speicher.

Psychology for Teachers. By S. B.
Drake.

Ancient Babylonia and Assyria. By
S. B. Drake.

"His Great Apostle," and "His
Friends." By a Chinese friend.

Catechism for Primary Sunday
Schools. By Mrs. Crawford.

Choosing a Life Work ; Yours. A
manual of texts for young Christians.

Stones from the Brook.

Stalker's Paul.

Robert Speer's Principles of Jesus.
J. H. Jowett's The Passion for Souls.
Both iu mandarin. Many Infallible
Proofs. Inspiration of a Christian Ful-
ness of Power. By J. Vale.

Mrs. Nevius' Mandarin Hymn Book.

Dr. and Mrs. Nevius' Manual for
Christians, with answers to the ques-
tions.

Practical Chemistry in three parts ;
I. Inorganic, Elementary.
II. Inorganic, Qualitative and
Quantitative Analysis.
III. Organic.

Practical Physics. — These both by
H. G. Wintcher, B.Sc. and Bae Yii-
chang, of the Shantung Union College.

By V. M. C. A. :—

Main Lines in the Bible. Fred. S.
Goodman.

How to Study the Bible. Torrey.

Habit. Prof William James.

Fundamental Principles of the
Christian Life. H. C. King.

Outline Studies in Biblical Facts
and History. J. N. De Puy and J. B.
Travis.

1908]

Missionary News

53

Missionary News.

Presbyterian Church of
England

Statistics of the Formosa Mission
FOR THE Year 1906-1907

Communicants on the Roll
31st October, 1906

Additions : —
Adults baptised
Baptised in infancy, received

to communion
Restored from suspension ...

Total Additions ...
Deductions : —

Deaths

Suspensions

3,101

223

12

2

237

71
16

Gone elsewhere I

Total Deductions ... 88
Net iticrease in number of
Communicants 149

Communicants on the Roll

31st October, 1907 3,250

Members under Suspension... 165

Children on Roll 31st Oct-
ober, 1906 ... ... ... 2,407

Children baptised, net in-
crease ... ... ... ... 176

Total baptised children ... 2,583
Total Church Membership

31st October, 1907 5.998

Native Givings during 1906, Jii,6o6.
Native Ministers, 5 ; Elders, 100 ;
Deacons, 163.

Presbyterian Church of England

Chinese Mission — Singapore, Johore and Muar

I . — Member sh ip : —

Men.

Women.

Children.

Total.

Members

1906

210

106

213

529

Baptised

1907

13

6

10

29

Received

1907

48

10

4

62

1st Communion

1907

3

5

8-628

Less deaths and

removals

— 81

Men.
221

Women.
106

Children.
220

1907

—547

-Contributions : —

Men.

Women.

1906.

1907.

I. Bukit Timah...

... 43

21

-64

J214.44

$171.68

2. Serany;gong ...

... 27

II

-38

100 02

72.08

3. Tek Kha

... 23

12

— 35

9315

173.88

Pastorate

- 93

44 —137

407.61

41764

4.

Tanjong Pagar

... 27

II — 38

412.76

47575

5-

Pay a Lebar ...

... II

4 — 15

6205

6608

6.

Gaylang

... 6

2—8

21.48

15-48

Pastorate

. 44

17 -

- 61

496.29

557-71

7.

Prinsep St. Straits

Chinese

• 15

29 -

- 44

348.66

672.13

8.

Johore

• 42

9 -

- 51

263.97

282.24

9-

Muar

• 27

7 -

- 34

III. 49

598.28

Total

221 106 — 327 1,928 02 *2, 528.00

V

* This does not include Chinese Christian Association |i47, nor Chinese
Reading Room (" Su Po Sia "; $2,146,25, nor School fees.

Superintendents. Pastors.

Rev. J. A. B. Cook, 1881. Rev. Tay Sek-tin.

Rev. W. Murray, M.A., 1902.

54

The Chinese Recorder

[January

Presbyterian News

WU SHEN SYNOD

Tlie "Wu Shen" Synod, or
the Synod of the Five Provinces,
will meet in the Presbyterian
Church at the South Gate,
Shanghai, at ten o'clock a.m.,
February 12th, for the opening
session. The following sessions
will be held at the International
Institute, French Concession.

PRESBYTERY OF SHANTUNG

The Presbytery of Shantung
has just had its annual .session.
It is composed of seven foreign
ministers, eight native ministers
(all self-supporting), one licen-
tiate, and four candidates for the
ministry. It has iii preaching
chapels, twenty-seven organized
churches, fifty-four elders, and
sixty-nine deacons.

It added on confession this
year 342. Total number of com-
municants is 3,313. S. S. mem-
bership is 3,025.

Contributions amounted to
5,459 Mex.

A permanent evangelistic com-
mittee was appointed. Plans were
enthusiastically adopted for the
evangelization of the territory
occupied by the Presbytery.
This territory is estimated to
contain at least 150,000 vil-
lages, or a population of nearly
10,000,000.

W. O. Elterich, Stated Clerk.

Bubonic Plague at
Tengchowfu in Shantung.

It will probably be of interest
to your readers to know that
this part of the Empire has re-
cently been visited with that
dread disease — the bubonic
plague. This city is in the
direct line of coolie traffic between

Shantung and Manchuria, many
thousands passing through here
every Spring going there, and
returning in the fall. Fortu-
nately we have escaped the
plague heretofore, though it has
been known to be raging in
some parts of Manchuria nearly
every year for some time. About
two months ago, however, there
began to be many cases of severe
illness followed by death within
two or three days. There were
many mild cases of headache and
general discomfort, which seem-
ed to be la grippe, quite a number
of which showed decided men-
ingeal symptoms. After a time
it began to become known that
many of those who died develop-
ed, at some time in their sick-
ness, bubonic swellings, so it did
not take long to decide that we
had genuine pest in our midst.
A doctor came up from Chefoo
at the request of the Taotai,
and with the local missionary
doctor examined several cases.
There was no doubt of the
nature of the disease.

The missionary schools, both
boarding and day, were closed
for a time, and the missionaries
all left, part to attend Mission
meeting and part to get out of
danger. On returning from Mis-
sion meeting I found, on careful
inquiry, that over 200 deaths
had occurred ; most of them
were women and children, es-
pecially children. For some dist-
ance on one street nearly every
house had lost one or two, and
in some places whole families
had been wiped out of existence.
The disease was the worst in
two opposite sides of the city,
right near the city wall. During
the last two weeks there have
been very few cases reported.
In fact we thought it had died
out, but to-day I have heard of
two or three cases, iu which

1908]

Missionary News

55

death lias taken place inside of
a few hours, or in a day or a
day and a half.

The ofTicials have given orders
to have the streets cleaned up,
and seem to want to do .sonie-
thinji^ to stop the disease.

The missionaries are now re-
turning. Of course our mission-
ary work has been interfered
with in no small degree by the
closing of our schools and the
scattering of the pupils. We
hope they are bearing witness
for the Master, however, wher-
ever they are. The work among
the women is practically stopped
also and Sunday School and
church work much crippled.
Pray for us.

W. F. Seymour.

A Trip to Manchuria

BY DR. W. A. P. MARTIN

Though no great traveller,
I had trodden the soil of ten out
of the "eighteen provinces,"
but prior to this trip I had not
been nearer to Manchuria than
Chefoo, where I could see the
flash and hear the roar of guns
at Port Arthur. The trip of
which I am about to give
account was therefore a con-
siderable addition to the extent
of my travels, and it added more
to m}'^ acquaintance with mis-
sions than it did to my knowledge
of geography.

The occasion was the opening
on the loth November of a new
church by the Scotch Presby-
terian Mission at Mukden, the
old capital of the Manchus. As
the senior missionary of the
Far East I was asked to preach
the dedication sermon. Nine
inches of snow had fallen the
day before and the roads, like
Cocytus, were rivers of mud,

yet the large edifice was crowded
to its utmost capacity.

The membership amounts to
six or seven hundred, and they
have a uative pastor who is
highly esteemed. They are be-
ginning to feel their responsi-
bilities and are pushing their
branches and off-shoots in all
directions. When a church sup-
ports its pastor it may be called
.self-supporting. Besides doing
this the churcli of Mukden carries
on many forms of Christian
activity, and this new start marks
an era in the history of Manchu-
rian missions.

The old church which stood
on the same ground was the first
in that region to be demolished
by Boxers in 1900. It has now
risen from its ashes — magnified
and glorified as an emblem of
triumph. The people so regard-
ed it, and many of the high man-
darins expressed their sympathy.
On Monday a social reception
was given bv the congregation
to Chinese officials and foreign
Consuls. The Viceroy sent a
representative, who took the
chair; he was an old student of
mine, and the city prefect made
a warm-hearted speech, saying
plainly that he rejoices in the
spread of the Christian faith.
To me and to others he said that
his first mental awakening was
obtained from a book of iniue
on Christian psychology, and he
called himself my "disciple."

The Mission has two effective
hospitals — one for men, under Dr.
Christie ; one for women, con-
ducted by Miss Slarmer, M.D.
This flourishing Mi.ssion was
founded by the Rev. Dr. Ross,
whom I met many years ago at
Peking. He is now temporarily
absent, and the native pastor paid
him a glowing tribute, saying
that " his holiness and Christian
graces were such that the sages

56

The Chinese Recorder

[January

of China would have bowed
down before him." The senior
influence now in the Mission is
that of the Rev. Jas. Webster
and Dr. Christie, whose silver
jubilee as missionaries coincided
with the "feast of the dedication"
— they having entered Mukden
just a quarter century before that
day. Both have made their work
deep and broad ; one in saving
life and training a corps of life
preservers, the other in promot-
ing education, training preachers
and seeking to win the higher
classes. In this he has succeeded
to the extent of gaining many
friends for himself and the Mis-
sion.

His success is not to be judged
by the number of converts among
the mandarins. As a class they
take their cue from the court.
Many secretly believe in Christ,
but until some Constantine hoists
the banner of the cross they dare
not make an open confession.
That the missions in that region
enjoy the favor of these influential
cflBcers is evident from the large
representation on Monday.

On Tuesday, conducted by
Rev. Mr. Webster, I proceeded to
Newchwang, the chief seaport,
some 300 miles distant. There
I addressed a large audience in
a Chinese theatre ; the chief
magistrate being in the chair,
the principal and students of
the commercial college in attend-
ance. My subject was True
Reform, and I pointed them to
the effect of the Gospel as a
renovating force, the only hope of
China and the world.

At both cities I addressed
meetings of foreigners in Eng-
lish, and at Newchwang I was
surprised by the fullness of the
house ; the business of the port
being in a state of panic owing
to the failure of a Chinese firm
for over five million dollars.

That I was able to go and
come in early winter with so
much expedition and comfort
impresses me with the value of
the railroad as an evangelizing
agency. It is bound to reach
every district in the Empire, and
wherever it goes it will carry
the Gospel.

At Newchwang the chief mis-
sion is that of the Irish Presby-
terians. The operations of the
two missions extend to several
other cities of importance, and
they multiply their force by
co-operation in education — theo-
logical, medical and academic.
At Mukden I enjoyed the elegant
hospitality of Mrs. Webster. At
the seaport I was entertained
with equal cordiality, if not
with equal elegance, by Dr.
Philipps, a bachelor physician of
much promise, who was born in
Palestine,

I am not sure that in addition
to my American parentage, my
Scotch-Irish ancestry had not
something to do with the warmth
of my welcome.

New Hospital, Yangchow

The new hospital of the Southern
Baptist Convention, situated near the
main street in a section of the city
where there is plenty of fresh air and
sunshine, was formally opened last
Friday. In the morning, exercises, to
which all were invited, were held in
the dispensary chapel. Addresses
were made by Mr. Chu, the pastor of
the M. E. Church here, and by the
Rev. N. L. Pearce, after which the
handsome new building was thrown
open for inspection, by Mrs. A. S.
Taylor. In the afternoon the city
oflficials, including the Prefect, were
received at Dr. Evans' residence.

The hospital is 39 ft. wide and 63 ft.
long, and lies from east to west, with
a splendid southern exposure. The
kitchen, servants' quarters, etc., are
in separate buildings at the back,
which also have southern exposures.
Land has been purchased just op-

1908]

Missionary News

57

posite the hospital, on which a home
for native helpers will be built. A
novel feature of the hospital build-
ing is a very narrow porch on the
second floor, built under extended
eaves, running along the entire length
of the building on the south side.
The purpose of the narrow porch is
to keep the sun off the walls in sum-
mer, and to let the sunshine fall into
the windows in the winter, at the
same time furnishing a place for
patients to secure sun-baths during
the colder months. This remarkably
well-built structure throughout has the
points where the walls and ceilings
meet rounded, so that they can be
easily dusted. The wards are 22 ft.
wide, and there is accommodation for
only twenty patients. The cellar for
coal storage, the drug-room and the
operating-room are built large with
a view to enlarging the hospital or
putting up other buildings. The
operating-room is on the north-east
corner of the second floor and has
a large skylight. Dr. P. S. Evans,
Jr., who planned the building, and
under whose painstaking care it was
coiistructed, was the master of cere-
monies on the occasion of the auspi-
cious opening of the hospital. He
and his co-workers are to be highly
congratulated. — N.-C. D. News.

The Month.

Prince Pu Lun, the special Chinese
Envoy to Japan, visited Tokyo on
December 5th, and was received by
the Emperor of Japan on the 9th.
He was also entertained by the Tokyo
Municipality and by the President
of the South Manchurian Railway.
Great cordiality marked the whole
course of the Prince's visit to Japan,
which terminated on the iSth of
December.

The American Exclusion Acts, both
of the United States and Canada, have
been receiving a good deal of atten-
tion during the past month, especially
in relation to the Japanese immigrants.
Congressman Hayes, of California,
drafted a bill for the restriction of
Oriental immigration and submitted
it to President Roosevelt. It met with
the President's disapproval, but Mr.
Hayes nevertheless persists in his
intention to push the Bill forward.
The Canadian Dominion's Labour
Minister, Mr. Lemieux, has made a
special visit to Japan for conference

with Japanese Ministers concerning
the question of Japanese immigration
to Canada. The visit lasted some time,
and Mr. Lemieux is stated to have
come to an informal agreement with
the Japanese government on the ques-
tion. The Supreme Court of Nova
Scotia has ordered the release of
several Chinese wbo had been impri-
soned for non-payment of the poll-
tax of I500. The Court decided that
this was not an indictable offence and
that the tax must be treated as a legal
debt. News from Washington states
that the American government hopes
to find Japan restricting her emi-
grants in order to forestall the at-
tempt to pass an Asiatic Exclusion
Bill through Congress.

A bill has passed the Belgium Par-
liament making the Congo Free State
a Belgian province. A strongly word-
ed letter of protest, most influentially
signed, has been presented to the
British Government urging against
any attempt to strengthen or continue
the existing regime of barbarity on the
Congo under whatsoever authority.

A telegram from Peking of Decem-
ber 7th stated that the Chinese go-
vernment accepted the British go-
vernment's conditions that the gradual
reduction of the Indian opium trade
shall be coincident with the decrease
of the production of the native drug.
China expresses her grateful apprecia-
tion of Great Britain's action and with-
draws the proposal to increase the
duty on imported opium.

President Roosevelt has again de-
clared his intention not to stand as a
candidate for the next Presidential
Election. At Washington a campaign
is being waged by Mr. Andrews, an
American lawyer formerly in practice
in Shanghai, for the impeachment of
Judge Wilfley. Attention has again
been drawn to the delicate nature of
present relations between Japan and
the United States by the recall from
Washington of the Japanese Minister,
Viscount Aoki. The Viscount had
given pledges on his own authority
that Japan would participate in the
Russo-American Behring Convention.
Without the consent of his govern-
ment he had also promised that a
treaty would be ratified prohibiting
Japanese emigrants. The Tokyo
government refused to accept this
position and the ambassador was re-

58

The Chinese Recorder

[January

called. The United States Navy
Squadron, destined for the Pacific, has
started on its voyage from the home
waters in the Atlantic. Declarations
as to the peaceful nature of its errand
were repeated.

Riots are still frequently reported
from Korea. A proposal to increase
the Japanese forces engaged in the
work of suppression has been made.
The murder of several members of the
pro-Japanese Society is reported ; a
Japanese postmaster has been murder-
ed in the Chyotta province, and in
Hamyong province man,y murders
have been perpetrated. A police sta-
tion was destroyed by rioters in Seoul.
The Crown Prince of Korea is visit-
ing Tokyo, where elaborate prepara-
tions had been made for his reception.

National finance has been the cause
of considerable em,barrassment to the
Japanese government. In the Budget
for the forthcoming year, although
the taxes have been increased, a reduc-
tion in the expenditure on the Army
and Navy is provided for and some
public works have been postponed.
A saving of something like seventy
million yen is thereby effected.

Russian and Chinese plenipoten-
tiaries have reopened negotiations in
Peking regarding the Russian position
and rights in Maachuria. Certain
points which were supposed to have
been settled last year have been re-
opened and are once more under
discussion. The Russian government
has sent M. Shipoff on a commer-
cial visit to the Far East. This Com-
missioner is at present in China, hav-
ing journeyed through to Manchuria
a.nd Japan in the interest of his
special mission.

At the annual dinner of the China
Association in Ivondon Dr. Morrison,
the Peking correspondent of the
Times, delivered a strongly worded
and effective speech in defence of the
policy of the Chinese government.
He urged that the West could not
aflford to look with an air of superior
political morality upon official cor-
ruption in China. The attitude of
the West to the East was often
unjust. The point of view that con-
sidered the sentiment of China for
the Chinese as the manifestation of an
anti-foreign and reactionary spirit
could not be too severely reprobated.

Dr. Morrison asserted that the pro-
gress of China in the last five years
was one of the most agreeable and
surprising phenomena of recent his-
tory.

The Rev. Lord William Gascoyne
Cecil, who was present at the Cen-
tenary Conference as a member of
the China Emergency Committee, an
interdenominational body formed in
England to emphasize the pressing
nature of njissionary claims in China,
has written a series of letters to the
Titnes summing up his experiences
of the missionary situation in China.
The letters shew a wide sympathj-,
and although some of the opinions
expressed are obviously too hastily
formed and err from lack of adequate
knowledge, that their effect will be
to draw attention to the opportunities
of the day in China is without doubt.
The China Emergency Committee has
also issued a weighty statement deal-
ing with the missionary situation,
pointing out how serious are the
issues involved in the awakening of
China and how imperative it is for
the good of the world that Christian-
ity should overcome the materialism
of China's civilization. A reconsidera-
tion of missionary policy is urged and
a concentration of missionary forces
suggested as one of the important
steps to be taken. The portion of the
manifesto dealing with commerce was
animadverted upon in a letter from
Mr. R. S. Gundry, the Chairman of
the China Association, who urged
that the missionary question was one
of the chief outstanding causes of
international trouble in China.

In the South of China some excite-
ment has been caused among the
Cantonese by the patrol of the West
River by British gunboats for the sup-
pression of piracy. The inflammatory
language of the newspapers added to
the excitement, and a petition was
presented to the Viceroy Chang Jen-
chun , asking him to protest against this
encroachment of China's sovereign
rights. The Waiwupu has telegraph-
ed to the Viceroy stating that this
arrangement was made by the Imperial
Customs on behalf of the Chinese
government. The Viceroy was in-
structed to censure sternlj' the people
of the province who had incited the
passions of the populace and created
trouble. The same despatch stated
that the new practice of sending pro-
testing telegrams to Peking concern-

1908]

Missionary News

59

ing matters of international policy
was unreasonable and a breach of
etiquette.

Edicts condemning the attitude of the
students and gentry of Chekiang have
been issued from the Throne.

The religious world of Hongkong
has been disturbed by the advent there
of representatives of the Pentecostal
church, a sect recently established
in California, preaching the gift of
tongues and attacking the methods of
other Christian missionaries. Their
services have beeu held in a Chinese
Christian church in Hongkong and
strange scenes of excitement have
beeu witnessed. Their aim seems
rather to pervert Christian Chinese
than to convert the heathen.

H. E. Wu, Governor of Shantung,
has entertained in his yam^n at Clii-
nanlu the representatives of the Pro-
testant missionaries of that province.
Great cordiality marked the whole
proceedings. Good wishes towards
the missionaries and their work were
expressed by the Governor himself
and responded to by the Rev. C. J.
Voskamp, of Tsiugtao.

The Chekiang railway agitation has
shown no sign of abatement during
the month. A meeting of Chinese
Christians has been held in Shanghai
to discuss the situation and to collect
promises of subscriptions to the guar-
antee fund now being raised. It is
stated that H.E Yuan Shih-kai favours
the policy of introducing foreign
capital for the internal development
of China's resources This policy
finds many enemies in Peking. H.
E. Shen Kung Pao was ordered to Pek-
ing, and by the advice of the Grand
Council was ordered to join with
the Waiwupu in negotiating with
the British Minister and the British
and Chinese Railway Corporation con-
cerning the loan for the Chekiang
railway. A deputation representing
the large cities of the Chekiang
province has proceeded to Peking to
protest in person against the building
of the railway under foreign super-
vision. The agitation has spread to
the Anhuei province, where the
proposal to build a railway under
Anglo-Chinese auspices is made the
occasion of an anti-foreign demon-
stration. A meeting of officials, stu-
dents and gentry of Honan, held for
the purpose of protesting against the
use of foreign capital for railway
development in that province, is also
reported. Two very strongly worded

Her Majesty the Empress-Dowager
has paid a contribution of Tls. 150,000
out of the Privy Purse, towards the
funds for the inception of local self-
government in Peking.

Prince Ching memorialized the
Throne for the establishment of a
school in Peking, where the sons of
princes and nobles might study the
principles of constitutional govern-
ment. It is reported that this school
will be immediately established and
Prince Chun, the brother of the
Emperor, made Director- in-Chief.
H. E. Chang Chih-tung has issued an
important order prohibiting the issue
of passes to students and others who
wish to proceed to England, France,
Germany, Japan, or the United
States, until they have acquired a
fair knowledge of the spoken and
written languages of the countries of
their destination. The order also
forbids Chinese students to go to
foreign countries to study ordinary
educational subjects, because these
can now be obtained in China, espe-
cially in Chihli and Kiangsu, under
foreign teachers. The subjects open
for study abroad are commerce, law,
politics, etc., and every student will
have to prove his fitness for foreign
study by passing a satisfactory ex-
amination in the language of the
country before leaving China.

The Nestorian tablet, says the North-
Chuia Daily News' correspond-
ent from Shensi, has been housed
at last. Ever since it was unearth-
ed it has been standing in the
grounds of a temple outside the
west gate at Sian. Some years ago
the government promised to com-
ply with the request of the foreign
ministers to build an arch over it to
shield it from the inclement weather.
But the promise was never fulfilled.
In October of this year, however, they
removed it into the city, into an
honourable place in the college of
Ancient Monuments. It is placed in
a small hall next to the largest one
containing, amongst other renowned
monuments, the stones with the in-
scriptions of the thirteen classics
supposed to be nearly 2,000 years
old.

60

The Chinese Recorder

[January 1908

Missionary Journal.

MARRIAGES.

At Shanghai, August 31st, Rev. C.
Howard Bird to Miss E. M.
Morris, both C. I. M.

AT Hongkong, November 20th, Dr.
J. A. McDonald, C. P. M., Kong-
moon, to Lillian L,e Maistre.

At Shanghai, November 29th, Mr.
A. L. Fagerholm to Miss A. L.
Olson, both S. M. S.

At Shanghai, November 29th, Mr. F.

A. Wennberg to Miss K. Larson,

both S. M. S.
AT Shanghai, November 29th, Rev.

W. Lyxtlk, E. U. M. F. C, Ning-

po, to Miss Broadley.
At Tsinanfu, Shantuilg, December

loth, Rev. William P. Chalfant,

A. P. M., to Miss Ada Gilbert.
At Shanghai, December 24th, Rev.

E. J. Malpas, L. M. S., to Miss

Florence A. Gain.

BIRTHS.

AT Dong-shang, Ka-shing Fu, Novem-
ber 26th, to Rev. and Mrs. H.
Maxey Smith, a daughter (Mar-
garet Emily).

At Hsiao-chang, Chihli, to Dr. and
Mrs. Edward J. Stuckey, a daugh-
ter (Annie Harper).

At Tsao-shih, near Hankow, to Rev.
and Mrs. Edward F. Wills, a
daughter.

At Shanghai, December 8th, to Rev.

and Mrs. Joseph Whiteside, a son.
At Shanghai, December islh, to Rev.

and Mrs. E. Pilley, of Huchow, a

son (John Allen).

DEATHS.

At Kwei-iin, Kwong-si, November
2i3t, BeulaH v. Funk, C. and M. A.

Ai* Chefoo, November 28th, Mrs. Ed,
ToMALiN, from apoplexy. (Sud-
denly).

ARRIVALS.

November 28th, Mr. A. Franzen,
Misses I. Petterson, A. OLvSOn and
K. Larson, all S. M. S. ; Rev. H. T.
Stonlake, Rev. S. H. Smith, E. B.
M.; Rev. G. W. Sheppard, wife and
child, U. M. F. C. (ret.) ; Miss
Broadley.

December 2nd, Miss Mary E.
CoGDAL, A. P. M. (ret.) ; Bishop F.
R. Graves and Rev.R. E. Wood,
A. P. E. C. M. (ret.).

December 9th, Mr. and Mrs. Hay-
ward and two children, Rev. M.
Bkauchamp, Misses F. L. Page, L.
M. Wilson, all C. I. M. (ret.) ; Mr.
and Mrs. Carver, Misses E. M.
Simpson, F. A. R. Baker, A. M. L.
Hultkranz, a. Rosenius, all C. I. M.

December loth, Rev. W. H. Bondy,
Ind.

December 12th, Rev. W. H. Pillow
and Miss Pillow, W. M. S. (ret.).

December i6th, Mrs. C. W. MiTCH-
IL, W. M. S. (ret).

December 2±st, Rev. and Mrs. G.
W. CoULTAS, C. M. S. (ret).

DEPARTURES.

November 29th, Misses H. L. Tho-
mas and E. M, Tucker, Mr. H. J.
Alty, C. I. M., for England.

November 30th, Miss M. POLLOCK,
C. I. M., for England,

December 3rd, Dr. and Mrs. J. B.
Woods and three children, A, P. M.
S., for U. S. A.

December loth, Mr. C. POLHILI.,
C, I. M., for England.

December 13th, Mr. and Mrs. G. F.
Easton and two children, C. I. M.,
for England.

December 14th, Miss E. A, FiSHE,
C, I. M., for Genoa; Miss Marian
FiSH«., C. I, M., for England.

THE CHINESE RECORDER

AND MISSIONARY JOURNAL

Published Monthly by the American Presbyterian Mission Press,
18 Peking Road, Shanghai, China

Editorial Board.*

Editor-in-chief : Rev. G. F. FiTCH, d.d.

Associate Editors: Rev. W. N. Bitton and Rev. D. W. Lyon.

Rt. Rev. Bishop Cassklls. Rev. W. T. Hobart, d.d. Rev. G. F. Mosher.

Rev. A. FosTKR. ,, D. MacGillivray. Prof. Lacey Sites.

,, J. C. Gakritt, d.d. Mr. G. McIntosh. Rev. A. H. Smith, d.d.

,, J. C. Gibson, d.d.

VOL. XXXIX FEBRUARY, 1908 NO. 2

Editorial

A. MOST important event of the month has been the issue
of the Chinese translation of the Letter to the Chinese Church

prepared and adopted by the Centenary Con-

^be Xettcr to tbe r ■, • ..t, i, j r • • • ■

■ „.■ . ference and now in the hands of missionaries

throughout the Empire. Our opinion of
its value has been enhanced by the rereading of its matter.
We think, it would have been well for the Committee of Con-
ference to have suggested a certain fixed date for the exposition
of this most valuable message to all Chinese congregations.
We hope, however, that the request that this letter be read in
all the. churches of the land will be faithfully carried out by
all who are in charge of pastoral work. For the message
breathes a .spirit of New Testament earnestness and is full of
pertinent and practical advice. The missionary who is asked
what is the nature and purpose of the Christian Church in
China has now at hand a complete reply. Let him give to his
interrogator a copy of the 'Letter of Conference to the Chinese
Church. ' As a tract, this letter should find a large circulation
for many years to come.

* Revs. D. E. HosTE and E. W. BuRT have also been requested to act
with the above, but have uot yet been heard from.

62 The Chinese Recorder [February

In the present issue attention is drawn in a series of

specially contributed articles to the need for a comprehensive

and effective Christian apologetic for China.

F^z It is hoped that these will stimulate thought

tor Cbina. /^ . n^u u

upon what is a pressing question. The rush

of the life of the modern missionary leaves him less time for
reflection than fell to his predecessors and tends to superficiality
of thought on some vital matters concerning his work. It is good,
therefore, that he should occasionally review and, where neces-
sary, revise the opinions he may have held upon such a question
as the position and prospects of religion in China.

Is it right, for instance, to assert that the Chinese are irreli-
gious and materially minded above all that dwell on the earth ?
Confucius, by his teachings, gave, it is true,

„^, ^, ^ an agnostic trend to the Chinese intellect,

Cbliiegc /iRiuD. •, , • , • , . ,

and the intensely practical nature of the

habits of the people lead sometimes to the conclusion that the
enjoyment of things material is the chief end of man in this
land. Yet while Confucianism has swayed the intellect of this
race it has not succeeded in leading captive its heart. To this
fact the enormous success of the alien faith of Buddhism bears
ample testimony.

No people, least of all an Eastern people, is likely to
succumb for long to an attempt to submerge its religious in-
stinct. In individuals and among classes the spirit of devotion
may appear to suffer atrophy, but scarcely in a nation. And
where this does happen it will generally be found that a
wanton pursuit of pleasure has been the chief contributory
cause. Hedonism is the deadliest enemy of faith, and from
this danger the Chinese as a people are scarcely likely to suffer
very soon. The missionary is sometimes lead to an exaggera-
ted estimate of the essential materialism of Chinese human
nature by failing to understand, or by underestimating, the
forms in which that nature seeks to express its religious ideals.
From this may there not follow an exaggerated sense of the
perils that await the educated Chinese in his contact with some
modern forms of Western thought ? Is the fear that the
Chinese mind is peculiarly susceptible to, and likely to respond
most readily of any to, modern irreligious theories of life, a
well grounded one? And, moreover, in the Providence of God

1908] Editorial 63

may it not liappen that the temporary advent of a propaganda
of materialistic science, which is proving itself a rapidly pass-
ing and discredited phase of thonght, shall serve His wise
purpose in clearing from the world of Chinese thought those
preconceptions which at present baj the door to the entrance of
the Word of Life ? For if a thoroughgoing materialism is the
enemy of faith, it is equally the enemy of superstition and
thoroughly destructive of the Confucian cosmogony. Its appeal
cannot be, by the nature of the case, to the common people,
whose religious instincts, though perverted through ages of
ignorance, are yet sound, while with the scholar class it is
possible that it might prove to be the scourge of God for the
cleansing of the temple of the Chinese mind.

From this we are led to the suggestion that taking the

long view of the Kingdom of God, it will perhaps be not wise

to spend too much time and strength in

_ !* ^ ^ combating the adverse phases of the moment

Bpolpgetlc iieeDeD. , . ^ , .

unless circumstances prove such action

necessary. It is not merely by meeting and checkmating
its enemies that Christianity advances to the final con-
quest. Its appeal is to faith and its apologetic matter con-
cerned chiefly with that faith's reasonableness. Now it by no
means follows that the method that has proved itself, or is
even now proving itself, the most successful in performing
this task in Western lands is the one that will succeed in
China. Nor is it likely that the apologetic for which the
Church waits will be translated, adapted, or even prepared by
a foreigner living in this land. As between East and West,
the planes of thought are sufficiently distinctive to make it
highly improbable, even though the problem and the need
are in both instances essentially one. We should look for the
much prayed for and convincing apology of the Christian faith
to a Chinese who has not been turned by too close contact
with the foreigner from Chinese habits of thought and life ;
one whose mental atmosphere is that of his race, but whose
spiritual impulses spring from the knowledge of God's revela-
tion in Christ. The rule-of-three method of proof which is
considered so effective in the West is not necessarily the best
means of argument in a land where an apt parable is more
convincing than the most perfect syllogism. Christ spoke to

64 The Chinese Recorder [February

an Eastern people and he argued little but illustrated mucli

and 'never man spake like this man.' Paul touched the

mind of the Western world and he argued much and illustrated

little. All the history of the Gospel's success teaches the

necessity for a wise adaptation of the message of the imchang-

ing Christ to the special needs and peculiar conditions of every

race. When most of the external modes of Chinese life have

been Westernized it will be found that the norm of conduct

and the life motive is Eastern still. It is of little moment to

gain the assent of the intellect and leave the conscience unre-

generate. The final conquest of the Christian Gospel must be

that of the heart, and it is because Christ is the only proven

and sufficient Lord of the heart and will and mind of men that

we believe the triumph of His message to be sure. In the

advance of Christianity upon heathendom the final objective

is also the immediate duty.

* * *

In the struggle for national existence, which is affecting

China acutely at the present time, it is natural that she should

feel the necessity of a certain amount of self-

Cbina for tbc , . j r Iv r u • i .1 •

^^, assertion, and, lurther, from havmg known nothinor

Cbinese. ... *

of Christian ideals, and lived such an exclusive

life in the past, that she should fall back upon selfish policies,
which she also sees so forcibly illustrated by foreign representa-
tives in her midst, and demand that she be allowed to exploit the
country in her own interests and not allow the foreigner to pick
out all the plums from the pudding. Hence the cry, China for
the Chinese, is a natural one. But it is being borne in upon her
every day, more and more, that no man liveth to himself and
no country can in this day be entirely isolated. Nothing can
possibly convince her, for the present at least, but that foreign-
ers are here for what they can get out of her. She has seen very
few instances of disinterested benevolence in her intercourse
with foreign nations. Argue as you will about it, she sees
in Egypt and India two forcible illustrations of what may
happen to her if England, for instance, is allowed to build
her railroads, or loan money to China to build them and
then take a mortgage on them for security. And Germany
and France and other countries are alike eager for conquest,
peaceable, to be sure, but resulting nevertheless in absorption
and the loss of her own individuality as a nation. And
well as the Imperial Maritime Customs and the Imperial

19o8J Editorial 65

Post Office are conducted, it is galling to the national pride
that it has to be so. At the same time she sees new and larger
post-offices being built upon Chinese soil by foreign govern-
ments, as, vide the new German Post-office in Shanghai, and
others, and the day of extraterritoriality apparently not even
being, contemplated by foreign nations. She sends her sons
abroad and they come back and say that the like is not to be
witnessed in any other self-respecting nation of any importance
upon the globe. And shall China with all her glorious past
and her present pride and possibilities allow the foreigner to
go on forever having his own way and exploiting her for all
she is worth and then either dividing her up among themselves
or else dropping her like a squeezed orange ?

Hence we have arrived at a very critical period in China's
history and in her relations to foreign powers. The greatest
tact and wisdom are needed, diplomatically and every way, to
prevent a crisis and help her into a more sane and broader view
of her relations to the rest of mankind. The brotherhood of
nations has not yet found a place in her creed. Her suspicion
as to what other nations, even some that are called Christian,
would do if they could, is driving her more and more back
upon herself. We should not blame her. We should seek to
help her.

* * *

We have often thought how blessed it was that the mission-
aries do not all think alike and so do not all wish to work

_, , along the same lines. We may svmphonize.

Diversity, set , ... j r li, ' .

Tnnitv) ^ ^^ ^^^ individuals, and, for the most part,

with distinctly marked individual characteristics
and must work along lines for which we are specially adapted.

Hence we have educationists, and one might think from
hearing some of them talk, or from attending some Triennial
Conference, that the only hope for China lay in school work.
We have others who are just as enthusiastic about literature and
point to this as the grand method by which to reach the
millions. Then there is the evangelist who thinks we all ought
to obey implicitly the words of our Lord io preach the Gospel to
every creature. Also, there are some who think we ought to
begin with the lower classes — as our Lord seemed to do — and
work upwards ; while others think we should attempt to first
reach the upper and influential classes, and from thence we
might easily reach the lower.

66 The Chinese Recorder [February

We have been led to these reflections by reading in the
Baptist Missionary Review^ of India, a Symposium on "Shall
we withdraw from the Higher Classes and concentrate our Forces
on the Outcastes ? " The discussion was called forth by some
remarks of the Bishop of Madras, who had seemed to question
the policy of spending so much upon the higher classes in
India as has been done, and asking for a reinforcement of the
work among the Outcastes. The Symposium gives the opinions
of a large number of missionaries of diiferent missions in
different parts of India, and goes to show that the views of the
Bishop were not generally shared by the missionaries, most of
whom disclaimed very strongly that work among the higher
classes had beea a failure. While it is true that the great
ingatherings of the past few years have been from the lowest
classes, yet the influences which have been at work among the
upper classes have wrought results which are far-reaching for
good and which, while not manifesting themselves in immediate
confession of Christianity, have prepared the way in a wonder-
ful manner for the final winning of all India for Christ. And
so for China we need all kinds, combined and working harmo-
niously for one common end.

That there has been in the past in China something in the
nature of a neglect of the Sunday School is admitted, but there
_ have been causes peculiar to the conditions of

-_ . work here to account for this fact. In past

years the mission day-school was the only
method of reaching the young possible to the missionary in most
centres. Converts were scattered over wide areas in all but
the big cities, making it difficult to bring them and their
families to service more than once a day. With the growth of
large Christian communities on all sides and the change that is
occurring everywhere in the matter of elementary education and
the consequent gradual disappearance ot the mission day-school,
the need for the establishment of the Sunday School as an
integral part of the work of missions is generally acknowledged.
At the same time the action of the Chinese in recognizing in so
many places, and especially in large centres of modern educa-
tion, Sunday as a holiday, has put great opportunities for good
into the hands of the Sunday School worker. In some districts
good work has been attempted and such success met with as has

1908] Editorial 67

demonstrated the possibilities of the movement as an evan-
gelistic as well as a Church aj^ency. The Sunday Schools
established in various parts of China are proving how rapidly
the suspicion with which the work of missions was formerly
greeted, is passing away from the minds of the people. And
nothing is so well qualified to finally dispel this suspicion as the
Sunday School itself. In the past it has been asserted, with
how much truth we know not, that the Church has largely
failed to hold the second generation of Christians. If true the
absence of Sunday Schools may be safely suggested as a cause.
With its present membership roll and the number of scholars
now found attending its schools, there ought to be something
approaching a half a million scholars in the Sunday Schools of
China. That there is nothing like this number should serve
to emphasize the urgency of the need.

The Sunday School committee appointed by the Con-
ference has, we learn, already accomplished some excellent

work. The visit of the Secretary of the Indian
TlClbat is betng 3^^^^^ School Union to the Conference aroused

the interest of his committee in London in the
movement, and as a result of steps that have been since taken
by friends of the work in Great Britain there is every possibility
that the support of a general secretary for China will be secured
through the medium of the Sunday School Union of that
country. The practical help of many of the influential laymen
from America present at the Conference was assured at a meet-
ing held with them during its sessions, and friends in the United
States are now urging the claims of this movement in that
country. The Rome Sunday School Convention held last May
drew special attention to the needs of the Far East and organized
with a view to securing help for the work from Sunday Schools
in England and America. Best of all, we are informed that
the Rev. J. Darroch, well known to the missionary body foi
his literary work and attainments, has accepted an invitation
to become the general secretary of the proposed Sunday School
Union for China and will assume office at the end of the present
year. If the missionaries in the large centres of missionary
work throughout China will set about their local Sunday School
organization in a comparatively short time we may hope to
see the Sunday School Union for China zm fait accompli.

68 The Chinese Recorder [February

We regret that in last month's list of arrivals we omitted

to give the names of Dr. Griffith John and Mr. and Mrs,

Sparham. It is with a special sense of gra-

^ ^ * ^u. titude that we welcome back these friends.
TRcturn to Cblna. ^. . .. . ,. ,. ,

The feelmgs of his many friends are well

expressed in the compliment paid to Dr. Griffith John in an
address from representatives of foreign mission boards, present-
ed on the eve of his departure from New York. The address
refers to Dr. John's unique work as evangelist, organizer,
author, teacher and translator, and felicitously refers to the
pleasing fact that "now in the harvest time of your fruitful
ministry, to be prolonged, we earnestly hope and pray, for
many years, it is your happiness to return to the country you
have made your own to begin again these arduous toils which
you modestly account a pastime." We cannot refrain from
quoting some of the words spoken by Dr. John in his reply.
"I am going back to China stronger in faith than when I first
went there in 1855. Then my grip of truth was that of a
student ; now it is the grip of a man of experience. " "The
need of China to-day is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the way
to give it to her is by a forward movement of all the churches.
No new methods are needed — preaching, teaching, healing, all
hold their place as before — but these old methods must be newly
applied to the new problems which are constantly arising."
* * *

It is fitting that we should take this opportunity to note
the jubilee of Bishop Moule as a missionary to China and
congratulate him on the work he has done so
well and the love and esteem he has evoked
from both Chinese and foreigners. We earn-
estly trust that still more years of useful happy service on
behalf of China may be given him. Little need be said in
addition to the review in our book table department on "A
Retrospect of Sixty Years." We learn from it something of the
wonderful grip Bishop Moule has had of life and learning in
so many of its phases. As we recall what we have heard that
during the period of his bishopric his journeys covered from
two thousand to three thousand miles annually, we cannot but
express the wonder if, in the new conditions when distances are
covered and attained more rapidly, it is possible to maintain
the serenity and attain the culture and usefulness with which
we associate Bishop Moule' s life and work.

The Teaching of Jesus the Best Apologetic
for China

BY REV. C. WILFRID ALI.AN, HANYANG

IT is a commonplace nowadays to say that Paley's Evidences
is out of date. That great book has done its work and
done it well. Not only did it meet the difficulties of the
time in which it was published, but it continued for years to
be a model of evidential reasoning, most systems of apologetic
being along the lines laid down. It was directed against a
form of unbelief that does not obtain at the present time in the
West, the unbelief which sought for the origin of Christianity
in imposture and fraud. Paley's defence was so complete
that that ground cau no longer be held, and thus is manifest
the success of the book. Now the assault of Christianity is
made on different ground, the line of attack has changed. We
have mythical theories, evolution, tendencies, problems of
thought that had not appeared in Paley's day. The chief
modern difficulties were unknown then, and it is no disparage-
ment of the "Evidences" to say that now it is of little value.
The book abides as a monument of clear reasoning and success-
ful defence of the Christian faith of a bygone day.

There are different systems of evidences now. Apologies
have given way to the science of apologetic, that is, defensive
arguments of some specific content of the Christian revelation
have been superseded by a positive system of proofs adapted
to all times and circumstances. This enables the Christian
not only to meet the attacks of unbelief, but also to forestall
them. No doubt this is owing to a nobler and more spiritual
conception of Christianity, a conception far removed from that
of the time of Paley and Butler. Stress is laid on the self-
evidencing character of the Christian religion as a revelation
from God ; the character of Christ Himself is examined ; the
influence He has had on the world, the value of Christian
experience, all contribute to the apologetic of the present day^
and prove far more solid foundations on which to build the
defences of our most holy faith.

There is no doubt that the present-day apologetic is
superior to the evidences brought forward in years gone by, the
arguments are simply unanswerable. But the value of them
lies in the fact that they are so easily verified, being less com-

70 The Chinese Recorder [February

plex than the defences of the old school. There is really no
need to plunge into the intricacies of historical investigation of
records and testimonies ; the evidences are patent to all right-
thinking men, and they give to both Christian and unbeliever
alike a nobler and more worthy conception of the faith for
which we contend.

Unfortunately for us who are living in China, the creators
of the present day apologetic have only in view Christianized
Europe. That is only natural, seeing that the attacks against
Christianity, scientific and philosophical, have emanated there ;
but limitations have been imposed upon the evidences on
account of this fact, and they are to a certain extent rendered
inadequate. It means that to a vast majority of men, whose
knowledge of the world and universal history is small, some
of the arguments cannot appeal with their proper force. True,
Canon Row in his Bampton Lecture feels that the present-day
system of Christian evidences would be of more value to an
intelligent Hindoo theist than the older apologies, but such a
man is not typical of the great number of rational beings to
whom has been denied the knowledge of ordinary human
history as well as the revelation of the True God.

The question for us then is, What is to be the apology most
suitable for China ? or, if possible, What shall be the system of
apologetics with which to meet the attacks on the Christian
faith which may be made sooner or later in this rapidly deve-
loping empire ? The more one examines the present-day system
of evidences, superior as they are to the evidences of earlier
days, the more one feels the difficulty of the situation. How
much of the reasoning and argumentation of the present-day
apologetic really appeals to a Chinaman ? There is so much
in it that presupposes a ground-work of knowledge that we know
does not exist in the Chinese mind.

The difiiculties with regard to the presentation of a suitable
apologetic may be classed under two heads : ist, Difficulties
owing to the limitations of Chinese knowledge, and 2nd, Dif-
ficulties arising from the character of the Chinese mind. Let
us look at the first head.

I think it may be said of us all that the longer we live in
China the more we realise the age-long isolation of these
people, how completely they seem to have been cut off from the
West and its influences. The difference between China and
Europe is so great that it lends colour to the idea that all is

1908] The Teaching of Jesus the Best Apologetic for China 71

topsy turvy here and that the Chinaman is at the opposite pole
of thought from the representative of the Caucasian race.
Whilst Europe and Western Asia seem bound together in the
possession of one common knowledge of events that have tran-
spired, and of principles of thought that have found acceptance
with all, China is in complete ignorance of the outside world.
It is this which at the outset puts the historical evidences for
Christianity almost out of court. Take the authenticity of the
Scriptures, for instance. This is a question that all European
students can appreciate, even though they are not experts.
Any lay preacher can tell something of the continuous history
of the West from the time of the Roman Empire when the
Scriptures were written. He knows of the existence of man-
uscripts written in Greek and in Latin, and be accepts the findings
of scholars versed in these subjects. But what does the average
Chinaman know ? He has a dim notion of the existence of such
an empire as Rome, knows that Christianity has been the estab-
lished religion of the West for a long period, but he knows
little more. To speak to him of the testimony of the apostolic
fathers, the witness of the several churches, is to take him out
of his depth at once. Before you can give him proof of the
authenticity of our New Testament, he needs proof that the
history of the world in the West is what we state it to be.
Take the question of miracles. We are supposed to believe in
the miraculous in the Christian revelation, because of testimony
which is proved to be valid and true. It is not always easy
for us who have some knowledge of universal history to under-
stand the grounds of validity and genuineness. Much more
difficult is it then for the Chinaman, whose knowledge is so
limited. Or take prophecy, another element that has entered
largely into Christian evidences. Before we can give to the
Chinaman any true conception of the value of this evidence he
must first be assured that the Jewish religion was such as we
state it to be. Now these are the evidences that at present are
put in the background in the West on account of their com-
plexity. If they are not the best kind for our present-day needs,
they certainly are of little value out here.

Another difficulty with regard to historical evidences arises
from the fact that China knows little about historical criticism.
Everything that is recorded in the annals of this empire is
believed to be true, and there seems to be no discrimination
exercised between what is legendary or mythical and what is

72 The Chinese Recorder [February

really solid history. Now the present-day apologetic of the
West has had to combat in a serious manner the charges against
Christianity on account of its supposed mythical origin. It
will easily be seen that arguments of this character would be
deprived of their full force amongst a people whose history is
partly legend and whose legends are history.

The Chinaman knowing little of outside history, is of
course ignorant of the different systems of apologetics that have
been used from time to time, and is therefore unable to
appreciate any of the concessions made by unbelievers. Argu-
ments that in the West have been completely ruled out of
court, opinions, the holding of which would involve the literary
and scientific reputation of Western scholars, would all have
to be refuted here again if stress was laid on historical evi-
dences. It seems to me that to a Chinaman the imposture
theory would need as much combating as the latest fancies of
lip to date sceptics ; the four great epistles of St. Paul would
need to be established just as much as the Epistles of St. Peter.

What I have said up to the present has been in reference to
historical evidences of Christianity which present-day apologists
relegate to the background. Canon Row for instance proposes
his line of argument on the grounds that "our beliefs should be
based on facts which admit of some species of verification."
This means that his system of apologetic is considered to be
superior to the old one, because the evidence is more patent,
and because it need not be confined to experts to appreciate its
real value. This is true, and the masterly way in which he
deals with the subjects makes his arguments unanswerable and
quite sufficient to form an apologetic that shall last for all time.
He instances the superhuman action of Christ in history, he
shows the strong attestation of Christian origins in the
monuments of the church, such as the Sabbath and the Lord's
Supper. But do these arguments become any the more valid
for a Chinaman ? How does he know that Christ has energised
ill history to the extent shown by the modern apologist ?
What chance has he of learning the fact that all European
history is coloured by the reality of Christ's existence ? The
modern apologetic on these lines is vitiated just as much as the
older evidences, as far as China is concerned.

Another argument used by Canon Row is that the
character of Christ transcends his environment, and shows that
such a character cannot be the production of ordinary forces

1908] The Teaching of Jesus the Best Apologetic for China 73

energising in human life. The accepted principles of evolution
cannot account for the origin of such a character amidst the
limitations imposed upon it by Jewish fanaticism and credulity.
Now this argument surely goes beyond the bounds of Chinese
knowledge. Influenced as they are to-day by crude statements
of the evolutionary theory, and accepting the ideas in so far as
they can appreciate and understand them, an apology on these
lines in China would entirely fail in its power to convince.
Speaking of this we are reminded of the statements of some
missionaries that the present age in China answers in many
respects to the Deistic age which in England produced Butler
and Paley. How far this is true the writer is not prepared to
say ; certainly this period of transition from the old Confucian
orthodoxy to advanced Western thought is characterised by a
crass materialism and an utter absence of theistic belief. Will
not the old arguments of Paley serve ? No ! There may be the
same scepticism as in his time, but there is not the same ground-
work of knowledge necessary for the full appreciation of them.

So far we have tried to point out some of the difficulties
in the way of making an effective apologetic that rise out of
the limitations of Chinese knowledge. Let us now look at the
other head. The difficulties connected with the character of
the Chinese mind. Under this we included not only hindrances
born of national idiosyncrasies but also difficulties that arise
from the influence of Confucianism. The lack of knowledge
of historical criticism has already been referred to. This is not
merely owing to the seclusion of China, for she has her own
history, but to the fact that the Chinese mind does not possess
this faculty, or at least it is dormant. This makes an additional
obstacle to the full appreciation of historical evidences. But
a greater obstacle is to be found in the dual nature of the
Chinese mind. How materialistic and sceptical the Chinaman
is and yet how superstitious. To see him at one time we
should think he is devoid of any belief in anything beyond
that which appeals to his senses, and yet at another time he
is credulous. He swallows all sorts of wonderful stories in
which supernatural things take place, he believes in occult
influences, and yet in certain regions of thought he is absolutely
unbelieving. Some years ago the writer came to the conclu-
sion that such a subject as the resurrection of the dead or the
special resurrection of Jesus Christ would present few difficulties
to a Chinaman. Why, on every theatre stage someone is killed

74 The Chinese Recorder [February

and then rises again soon after. Novels abound in resurrections.
But now he is convinced that few heathen Chinamen would
believe, and lately he has begun to doubt whether even some
of our Christians really accept it. Perhaps it may be said that
the Chinese mind is on a par with all heathen minds. This
brings us to the point that the miraculous evidence for Chris-
tianity would be of little value as an apology. To us a miracle
if performed before our eyes would most likely be evidence of
the working of a Divine Being in nature, but to the Chinaman
would only evidence some superhuman or magical agency with
which he was not acquainted and would not prove to him the
reality of a Divine Being.

In the early days of the Christian church attacks on the
character and moral life of the Christians resulted in an ad-
ditional evidence for the truth of religion they acknowledged.
The early apologists pointed in triumph to the integrity and
goodness of the professors of the faith, and showed how that
a tree is known by its fruit. Only a divine religion could
produce such effects in men's lives. This argument forms part
of the apologetic of the present day, and is one that is increas-
ing in evidential power as the days go by. But is it an argu-
ment that will come with all convincing power to the mind of
the Chinaman ? The Chinaman reads the outward actions.
Confucius seems to have laid stress on deportment and the out-
ward manifestation of character. So does Christianity, but it
also concerns itself with motives. According to Confucian
teaching may not a man's good action be the outcome of an
unworthy motive? Is it certain that the imposture theory
of the origin of Christianity, which present-day unbelievers so
summarily reject, would be so directly repudiated by a Chinese ?
His bent of mind and intellectual training would not allow
him so readily to see the utter incompatibility of' witnessing to
the truth whilst harbouring falsehood. Then again the China-
man's ideas of renovation are based on the teaching of the Ta
Hsioh, that is, moral regeneration is the outcome of the man's
own will-power. To use as an evidence for Christianity the
fact that a man's life is changed by an influence outside him-
self, is to beg the whole question. He needs first to see that
man is incapable in himself of such a moral improvement.

Thus far we conclude that the future apologetic for China
must lie outside the arguments already considered and centre
itself round the person and life of Jesus Christ, leaving out,

1908] The Teaching of Jesus the Best Apologetic for China 75

however, the historical element. We have already tried to show
that the average Chinaman will not appreciate the argument
from the energising power of Christ in history. But what about
Christ's person and teaching ? Can we build on these a defence
suitable to the conditions that obtain at the present time?

The self-evidencing power of Christ's person is one of the
articles of the system of apologetics in the West. We find liere,
however, there are difficulties. In the early days of Christianity
our religion lost some of its hold on men because it came to be
considered as a system of doctrine, a philosophy, rather than
the manifestation of a life. Faith, instead of a personal trust
in the Saviour, became an assent to certain truths of revelation.
On this account the apologetic of that day had to change its
ground. Now the first difficulty here is the fact that in China
the Christian religion is viewed from the same standpoint, a
standpoint the outcome of Confucianism. We have all expe-
rienced difficulty in the churches under our care from this
attitude. How many of our members come to " hsioh tao li,"
to learn the precepts and principles of our religion? Is it not
a matter of concern to us all that they so seldom attain to the
conception of a living trust in a living saving Jesus? The
attitude of the members shows the attitude of the heathen.
We need not enlarge on this ; it is so patent to us all. An
apologetic, then, based on the personality of Christ, will not
as yet fulfil the demands of the time.

♦ Another difficulty now presents itself — the question of per-
sonality. We are assured by lUingworth that no proper con-
ception of man's personality was obtained by the human race
until the revelation of God made in Christ. He points out
that Christianity did in this what all philosophy had failed
to do. Is it too much to assert then that if the sages of the
West, such as Plato and Aristotle, had no proper conception of
man's personality, neither Confucius nor Mencius had, and
consequently the Chinaman of to-day is without it ? Now the
writer lays himself open to the charge of using the word
personality in two senses, but we are not discussing psychology.
The point is that in China no man really considers the personality
of Confucius. His system of ritual and ethics, his precepts
and maxims are all accepted and pronounced perfect, but the
personality of the man himself is not taken into account. This
is because it is an unknown quantity in the Chinaman's mind.
Having no proper conception of the personality of a human

76 The Chinese Recorder [February

being, lie cannot understand exactly what we mean when we
speak of the personality of any particular man. If this is so
how can we speak of the personality of Christ in connection
with the Christian apologetic ?

One of the strong points of the present-day apologetic is
that the Man of Nazareth, Jesus Christ our Lord, presents to
the world the highest pattern of virtue. This is admitted by
unbelievers, and their only concern is to prove that it was the
outcome of His natural genius. Let it be remembered, however,
that the unbelievers who accept this are mostly people of the
West. Are we sure that the Chinaman, with his deep reverence
for the teaching of Confucius, will admit it ? Can he, possessed
as he is with the idea of the infinite superiority of the Sage
to all other mortals, realise that Christ stands so far above ?
The difficulty here is heightened by the fact that men are not
agreed as to the necessary combination of qualities requisite to
form a perfect character. This has been a ground of contention
with us in the West, many considering that certain traits in the
character of Christ vitiate his perfectness. If there is lack of
unity on this subject amongst people of Christian nations, is it
too much to say that in China there will be even less agreement ?

From the foregoing it may be seen that the writer does
not think the apologetic for China must be based on the person
of Jesus Christ, The proper elements will be found in His
teaching. The defence of our faith in China will find its
best vantage ground here. The method we adopt, however,
will have to be different from that which obtains at the
present time. Whilst having every sympathy with those
who make " Christ and Confucius friends," agreeing with them
that Christ fulfills all the best desires of Confucius, we are
persuaded that the present method of bringing down Christian
teaching to fall in line with Confucian ethics, to say the least,
is not wise. It can only confirm in the majority of minds the
idea that Christ and Confucius are practically equals. The
proper method of apologetic will run on the lines of ethical
teaching, because these are the lines on which Chinese think,
even if they do not always act. Proper acknowledgment of
all the good that can be found in Confucius' teaching must
be made, a reverent and hearty appreciation of the great
sage's precepts and principles must be rendered, but at the same
time what needs pointing out is the superiority of the teaching
of Christ, how it transcends even the best thought of the man

1908] The Teaching of Jesus the Best Apologetic for China 11

whom all Chinese and also many foreigners delight to honour.
This method of apologetic can be pursued with greater ease
at the present time because of the influence of Western thought
which has turned the minds of many Chinese into the channel
of comparative religion. At present the danger is that they
may think all religions and all ethical teaching alike, no
matter from what source it may have come.

An apologetic based on the superiority of Christ's teaching
will of course involve the contents of that teaching. Here then
we have Christian ethics and the moral law. There is great
scope here for an able and earnest advocate of the Christian faith
to lead the Chinaman from Confucius to Christ instead of as
seems sometimes to be taking place, bringing Christ and Confu-
cius into partnership. The moral law will of course lead up to
a knowledge of God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The
teaching will also bring into prominence Christ's estimate of
Himself, and a proper conception of the God-Man will be obtained.

This teaching, as has just been hinted, involves the
existence of the Father of Christ, who is the Eternal God and
author of the Moral Law. What the Chinaman needs to-day is
to know that there is a Divine personal being who claims his
obedience to the law of eternal righteousness, one to whom he
must be responsible for the ordering of his life. The apologetic
on the lines mentioned, will lay stress on this and thus render
the highest service that any specific teaching can render. This
knowledge of God is especially needed in China both on
account of the agnostic attitude of Confucius, who has certainly
led the thoughts of his people away from this path, and also
on account of the scientific assault on Christianity, something
of which is known to the Chinaman, and which now, as in
days gone by, is against the foundations of theistic belief. To
recapitulate, our position is that there are many of the present-
day evidences which are hardly suitable to China on account of
the lack of general knowledge or from some national peculiarity,
and that the apologetic to meet the needs of this people must
be based on the superior teaching of Christ, who said : "the
Words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life."
Let the Chinaman see that the content of Confucian ethics is a
dim revelation of the will of God, but that it shines forth in its
fulness in the teaching of Christ, infinitely superior, and because
of its superiority, proving itself to be God's own Word, and
also proving its author to be Christ the Saviour of the world.

7S The Qiinese Recorder [February

How can Christianity best attest Itself to the
Chinese Mind?

BY REV. D. WILLARD LYON, M. A.

THE line of argument in a debate is determined chiefly by-
two factors : the proposition to be proven, and the view-
point ot the minds whose assent is sought. It has not
been otherwise in the history of Christian apologetics.

The prevailing thought of the day has always had much
to do in determining the particular form which the defence of
Christianity has taken. When the commonly accepted world-
view was geocentric, when time was short and cause was con-
ceived to be outside of and before effect, the ontological and
moral arguments carried great weight, and man by his own
reason seemed able to arrive at the Absolute. But as the world
began to assume a relatively small place in the universe, and
cause was seen to be not before and external to effect, but
simultaneous with it and jointly concerned in it, the thinking
mind was unwilling to declare with as much confidence as
before what conclusions from nature regarding Divinity were
justifiable and indisputable. "Natural" theology accordingly
has come to occupy a secondary place in the intellectual defence
of Christian faith.

This change in view-point has resulted in a corresponding
change of attitude towards the whole question of what con-
stitutes proof. Bishop Butler lived in an age when the miracu-
lous was taken as proof of a supernatural presence. But the
scientific man of the present day does not accept miracles as
proof. If he does not declare them impossible, he is apt to
regard them only as phenomena yet to be explained. He will
never believe in Christianity because of miracles ; some day
he may follow in the footsteps of many and believe in miracles
because of Christianity. But the line of defence has shifted.
Christianity must submit itself to those tests which are common-
ly called scientific, if it is to win the assent of scientific men.

No less has there been a change in objective. Christianity
is not one truth, but the union of many truths. The particular
truth on which the defence has been set has varied from time
to time. When the prevailing conception was the substance,
self-existence or eternity of God, the proof was along the line of
showing that Christ was of the same substance with the Father.

1908] How can Christianity best attest Itself to the Chinese Mind ? 79

When power was regarded as the chief characteristic, super-
natural exhibitions of this power were its proofs. As riohteous-
ness comes to be looked upon as the supreme quality of Divinity,
the appeal is to the conscience, and the most direct proof is
found in the life which Jesus as the revealer of the Father lived.

In the light of the history of apologetics in the West, the
practical questions before us in China are : Has the Chinese
mind become sufficiently imbued with the spirit of the West
to make the scientific approach the best? and, What from the
point of view of Christianity itself are its most direct and
fundamental proofs ?

In answering the first question we must not deal with the
China which was, but with the China which is and is becoming.
The rapid extension of the facilities of education, crude and
superficial though they may be, and more especially the tor-
rential inflow of a new literature, chiefly from Japanese sources,
saturated with modern ideas and theories, right or wrong, point
to the early domination of the Chinese mind by at least a quasi-
scientific spirit. Christianity must recognize this and make
sure that her defense is based on sound and not fallacious scien-
tific principles.

At this point warning should be taken from the mistaken,
though well-meaning, attempts of certain Christian thinkers
who base a defence of Christianity on the results of science
themselves. They have sought to deduce the truths of religion
from the accepted truths of science. In doing so they have lost
sight of the fact that the descriptive sciences have to do with
material things only. The moral factor is to be found in man
as a moral being. '*If from a mechanical universe," says one,
*' we deduce religion, it is because we smuggle in what we take
out." There can, of course, be no lack of real harmony
between the truths of physical science and those of religion, for
harmony is the presupposition and end of all enquiry. The
Christian may, therefore, go to the physical sciences for illustra-
tions and analogies of religious truth, but he must not expect
to discover the religious truths themselves there. He may, and
should, apply scientific principles to directing the religious
thought of the Chinese whose faith he would win, but let him
not deceive himself by supposing that he can prove his religion
from the deductions of science. As well prove the practicability
of an air-ship by experiments on a sea-going vessel ; the two
belong to different spheres. It will be fatal, not to say wrong

80 The Chinese Recorder [February

to base our apologetic on an illogical position. We may depend
on it that sooner or later the Chinese mind, with its increasing
grasp of Western thought, will detect the fallacy.

This brings us to our second question, What are the most
direct and fundamental proofs of Christianity ?

For the man who is willing to go the whole length of
testing it — and this is what science demands for its truths —
the best proof will lie in what he experiences of Divine power
and love in his own heart. This was the proof Jesus Himself
offered when He said: "If any man willeth to do His will,
he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether
I speak of myself." It will satisfy alike the unlettered and
the learned and will appeal with equal force to the occidental
and the oriental. It is the only perfect test.

But what of the man who has not the "will to believe ? "
The writer knows of no clearer answer to this question than
is offered by Dr. George William Knox in his scholarly lectures
delivered before the Divinity School of Yale University in
1903.* Professor Knox's long experience in Japan in dealing
with an oriental mind just awakening to the new thought, com-
bined with his work as a teacher, have given him an acqaint-
ance with his subject which demands a careful hearing.

Christianity as ethics. Dr. Knox points out, must both
commend itself to the minds of men and be capable of being
embodied in conduct. As Christianity is not identical with
Christian civilization, nor even with the church, its best proof
does not lie in taking these as examples of its fruitage ; in fact
they are often a stumbling-block, and Christ's teaching con-
stitutes a constant protest against much that exists in them.
The appeal must rather be made to the ethical principle of
Christianity, which is love. This principle can be shown to
satisfy the moral judgment of men and to be the practical rule
for life. Not the acceptance but the rejection of Christian
ethics is impractical. It is proved as we accept it as ideal and
embody it in life.

But Christianity is more than ethics. Ethics may tell us
what is right, but it does not always succeed in showing us how
to get the power to do the right. Christianity as religion steps

*The Direct and Fundamental Proofs of the Christian Religion. By
George William Knox, Professor of the Philosophy and History of Religion
in the Union Theological Seminary, New York. New York : Charles Scribners'
Sons, 1903.

1908] How can Christianity best attest Itself to the Chinese Mind? 81

in at this point and offers to solve the difficulty. It tells us
that the secret of power is in Jesus Christ. We have space to
make only a few brief quotations from Dr. Knox to show the
trend of his argument.

"It is not by chance," he says, "that Christianity centres
in Jesus Christ, and that he is accounted God and man. For
thus the highest expression of truth is found in a person. If
God be Father and man be His son, if self-giving love for the
highest benefit of others be the supreme principle of their
common nature, then the religious and the ethical aspects of our
faith are summed up in Him. His life and death reveal this
love as supreme, and that is the final end of man. "

"Christianity will be worthy of its profession as the
absolute religion when its chief quest is not the solution of
problems as to the ontological nature of God, nor His relation
to the finite as Infinite, nor His position in a cosmological
scheme of the universe, but the establishment of His kingdom
and its righteousness. Then it can wait in faith for all these
things to be added unto it. Its intellectual task is to set forth
the ideal of service and to show how that ideal may be attained."

"The direct and fundamental proof of Christianity as
religion can be only in the life and death of Jesus Christ as the
revelation of the Christian God."

"The direct and fundamental proofs of the Christian
religion are found already in those who, resting upon the
Divine love revealed in Christ, find blessedness and peace ;
and, embodying the same love in their lives, serve their
brethren."

In conclusion, let us remind ourselves that it is not enough
to show the superiority of Christ's teaching over that of Con-
fucius. Unless the Chinese rises higher than to appreciate
the ethics of Jesus, he will scarcely be able to rid himself of
his life-habit of divorcing faith from practice. He has not
grasped the most fundamental truth of the Christian religion,
until he sees that it means not a system of belief but a life. In
the life which Jesus lived we shall find the primary proofs of
our religion. And it will be in our lives as His proposed
followers that the Chinese will look for the evidences of the truth
of our claims regarding His life of perfect love, — the life which
came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give
itself for the life of men.

82 The Chineije Recorder [February

The Apologetic of the Early Christian Church
in Contact with the Heathen World

BY REV. W. NELSON BITTON

IN presenting in its Western theological form the teaching
of Jesus Christ to our Eastern people there is a tendency
to forget or overlook the striking fact that a most remark-
able and complete inverse parallel is presented for the instruction
of the modern Christian missionary by the Greek fathers of
the first three centuries of our church history. The boldness
and success with which Greek philosoply was confronted, seized,
and made the handmaid of Christian thought, should provide
for us in China to-day food for deep reflection. For the
teaching of our Lord and the ethical system of China have
at least as much in common as had the older apparently
opposing forces. If then we may acquire the method and
attain to the faith and zeal of the pioneer missionaries of the
Cross in the threshold centuries of our era we may hope
also to approach the measure of their success. For while
the onward march of progress has changed the face of the
problem presented to the church, the method of thought
has not changed, though it may have developed. And the
need of the human soul, expressed alike in Greek and in
Chinese thought, comes in the end to be the articulation of the
final question of all human life, ' What must I do to be saved ? '
Intellectual problems, after all, take their rise in the interroga-
tions of the soul, and there is no development of thought,
howsoever modern its phase and form, that may not be moved
to its depths by a voice that speaks effectively to the heart.
The religious problem in China to-day is no vaster, and certain-
ly no more profound, than was that of the Roman Empire
under the sway of Greek intellect. The form and presentation
of the message which conquered the spirit of that age is some-
thing the missionary student of to-day cannot afford to neglect.
For, though the end in view and the solution of the problem
stands unchanged, it is not enough to say. Preach Christ !
There remains still the question, How shall one preach
Christ ? And this is the lesson that the missionary history of
the Church of Christ is supremely fitted to teach.

It is from the writings of Clement, the most illustrious
of the Alexandrian school (A. D. 180-220), that we gather in

4908] The Apologetic of the Early Christian Church 83

greatest abundance examples of the methods of the apologetic,
by means of which so many of the educated heathen of his
day were won for the missionary's Master. The following
extracts are all from the works of that Father.

From the Exhortation to the Heathen :

Why I beseech you do you fill up life with idolatrous
images by feigning the winds, or the air, or fire, or earth ....
or the universe to be god? It is, the Lord of the Spirits, the
Lord of the fire, the Maker of the universe. Him who lighted
up the sun that I long for. I seek after God, not the works of
God. Whom shall I take as the helper of my enquiry ? We do
not, if you have no objection, wholly disown Plato. How then
is God to be searched out, O Plato? "For both to find the
Father and Maker of the universe is a work of difficulty, and
having found Him, to declare Him fully, is impossible." ....
Well done, Plato ! Thou hast touclied on the truth. . . . Under-
take with me the inquiry respecting the Good. For unto all
men whatever, especially those who are occupied with in-
tellectual pursuits, a certain divine effluence has been instilled.
.... And let it not be this one man alone — Plato, but O
philosophy, hasten to produce others also who declare the
only true God to be God, through His inspiration, if in any

measure they have grasped the truth We must not either

keep the Pythagoreans in the background, who say : God is
one .... the author of all His own forces and works, the giver
of light in heaven and the Father of all ; the mind and vital
power of the world ; the mover of all things. For the know-
ledge of God, these utterances, written by those we have men-
tioned, through the inspiration of God. . . . may suffice for the
man that has but small power to examine into truth.

From the Strom ata :

" Philosophy the handmaid of theology."

Before the advent of the Lord, philosophy was necessary
to the Greeks for righteousness. And now it becomes conducive
to piety ; being a kind of preparatory training to those who

attain to faith through demonstration For God is the

cause of all good things, but of some primarily, as the Old and
New Testaments, and of others by consequence, as philosophy.
Perchance, too, philosophy was given to the Greeks directly
and primarily till the Lord should call the Greeks. For this
was a schoolmaster to bring 'the Hellenic mind,' as the Law

84 The Chinese Recorder [February

'the Hebrews,' to Christ. Philosophy therefore was a prepara-
tion, paving the way for him who is perfected in Christ.
"All sects of philosophy contain a germ of truth."
Since therefore truth is one ; just as the Bacchantes tore
asunder the limbs of Pentheus, so the sects, both of Barbarian
and Hellenic philosophy, have done with truth, and each vaunts
as the whole truth the portion which has fallen to its lot. But
all, in my opinion, are illuminated by the dawn of Light (i.e.,
Jesus). Let all therefore who have aspired after the truth, both
those who possess not a little and those who have any portion,
produce what they have of the word of truth. . . . truth, much
more powerful than eternity, can collect its proper germs, though
they have fallen on foreign soil. . . . The Barbarian and Hel-
lenic philosophy has torn off a fragment of eternal truth from
the theology of the ever-living Word.

ON FAITH

Acknowledging then that there is a Providence, it were
impious to think that the whole of prophecy and the economy
in reference to a Saviour did not take place in accordance with
Providence. Perchance one should not even attempt to demon-
strate such a point, the Divine Providence being evident from

the sight of all its skilful and wise works which are seen

And He, who communicated to us being and life, has communi-
cated to us also reason, wishing us to live rationally and rightly.
For the word of the Father of the universe is not the uttered
word, but the v/isdom and manifest kindness of God, and His
power, too, which is almighty and truly divine and not incap-
able of being conceived by those who do not confess, being the
all-potent will. But .... all do not attain to the perfection of
the good. ... If one expect to apprehend all things by the

senses he has fallen far from the truth Accordingly Plato

says in the Epinomis : " I do not say that it is possible for all to

be blessed and happy, only a few But there is a good

hope that after death I shall attain all." So Moses, "No man
shall see my face and live." But "the pure in heart shall see
God" when they arrive at final perfection.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD A DIVINE GIFT

I cannot help admiring in every particular that divine
utterance, "Verily, verily, I say unto you. He that entereth not
in by the door into the sheepfold but climbeth up some other

1908] The Apologetic of the Early Christian Church 85

way the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in
by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter
openeth." Men must then be saved by learning the truth

through Christ, even if they attain philosophy For there

was always a natural manifestation of the one almighty God

among all right thinking men Far from being destitute

of a divine idea is man, who, it is written in Genesis, partook of
inspiration, being endowed with a purer essence than the other
animate creatures. Hence the Pythagoreans say that mind comes
to man by divine providence, as Plato and Aristotle avow, but
we assert that the Holy Spirit inspires him who has believed.

THE APPREHENSION OF GOD UNIVERSAI,

The Father, then, and Maker of all things is apprehended
by all, agreeably to all, by innate power and without teaching
.... No race anywhere, whether tillers of the soil or nomads,
of even dwellers in cities, can live without being imbued with
the faith of a superior being. Wherefore every Eastern nation,
and every nation touching the Western shores ; or the north,
and each one toward the south — all have one and the same pre-
conception towards Him who hath appointed government, since
the most universal of His operations equally pervade all ... .
Rightly, then, the apostle says : "Is He the God of the Jews
only and not also of the Greeks ? " . . . And Malachi the prophet
plainly exhibits God saying : "I will not accept sacrifice at your
hands. For from the rising of the sun to its going down my
name is glorified among the gentiles." And again, " Because I
am a great King, saith the Lord omnipotent, and my name is
manifest among the nations. " What name? The Son declar-
ing the Father among the Greeks who have believed.

A conclusion from the consideration of Greek Barbarian
Philosophy.

It is then now clear to us from what has been said that the
beneficence of God is eternal and that from an unbeginning
principle, equal natural righteousness reached all according to
the worth of each several race — never having had a beginning.
For God did not make a beginning of being Lord and Good,
being always what He is. Nor will He ever cease to be good,
though He bring all things to an end. And each 6ne of us is a
partaker of His beneficence as far as He wills. For the differ-
ence of the elect is viade by a choice worthy of the soul and by
exercise.

86 The Chinese Recorder [February

CHRIST THE COMPLETION OF TRUTH

Rightly to the Jews belonged the law and to the Greeks
philosophy until the Advent, and after that came the universal
calling to be a peculiar people of righteousness through the
teaching which flows from faith, brought together by one Lord,
the only God both of Greeks and Barbarians, or rather of the whole
race of men. We have often called by the name of philosophy
that portion of truth attamed to throtigh philosophy^ although
but partial. So too what is good in arts, as arts have their
beginning from God. "For the earth is the Lord's and the
fulness thereof" says the Scripture, teaching that good things

come from God to men And, to speak comprehensively,

all benefits pertaining to life, in its highest reason, proceeding
from the sovereign God, the Father, who is above all, is
consummated by the Son, who, says the apostle, "is the Saviour
of all men, but especially of those who believe."

Diary of a Journey Through '' East Tibet "

BY EDW. AMUNDSEN

(Concluded fro7n p. 6jg^ December number)

WB left Litang May 20th and arrived at Teotang (first
courier station) or, as it is called in Tibetan, Garala-
trong (Gara, pass-village). There is but one house
here in this desolate region of bare rocks and snowy peaks.
The elevation is 14,471. About dark a mandarin (juinliangfu)
arrived at the same house with all his men and animals. He
is to be stationed in Lhasa ! ! ! How I wished I could have
gone right along with him and see the land en route ! He
even promised (in French fashion) to take me along. He had
seen much of foreigners and was open-minded and free. They
told me at Batang of an official who had allowed a foreigner to
go in with him just recently, who got into great difficulties
with the Tibetans on the road and nearly lost his life over it.
The truth of this statement I cannot vouch for.

The next day we crossed the dangerous altar "Garala,"
some 15-16,000 feet above sea level, upon which many lives
and much goods have been sacrificed. The robbers hereabout
are very daring. Chinese merchants are annually robbed of

1908] Diary of a Journey Through "East Tibet" 87

several thousands of taels worth of goods on this pass. Not
long ago the Araban himself was robbed and a French priest
was even stripped of his clothes !

We escaped with only the ordinary discomforts of a high
pass. That same day we got right down into the beautiful
valley of Ranang or Lamaya, where a Dsongye is stationed with
his soldiers. There is even a telegraph office in the place. I
got very good lodgings in the fine house of a "Litang chief,"
who has or had his home here. Cliao Erh-fong (the one who
came in to stop the rebellion here recently, now acting Szchwan
viceroy) thought this chief was involved in the Batang revolt
and was transporting him, with many others, down to China,
when he took poison and died at Shiolo. His wife then ran
away, no one knows where, from their really cosy home at
Ranang (the home of the goat, as the meaning is). Such is the
fate of many who now suffer justly or unjustly on account of the
Batang uprising which, no doubt, would have spread all over
East Tibet but for the arrival of troops sufficient to quell it.

An old servant, his wife and mother-in-law were now the
occupants of this deserted mansion. The mother-in-law was
eighty years old, but she still took part in the house work,
early and late, and spent her spare moments in revolving the
prayer-wheel with much zeal. I wanted to photograph the
young servant girl in her extraordinary dress, decorated with a
conglomeration of beads, etc., from head to foot, but she would
not consent to such mysterious jugglery.

The Litang women have a special hair-dress, not common
in other parts. The hair is plaited into numerous plaits, possibly
lOO, which hang down the back and are fastened with silver clasps
or otherwise gathered and fastened over the small of the back.

Two or three discs or plates of silver (if procurable), two
inches or more in size, are also fastened to the hair — one on
the crown and one on either side of the back of the head.
Other ornaments are sometimes attached. A needle-case, purse,
scissors and other household tools and implements hang in
strings from the belt round the waist. The Tibetan women
are hardy, industrious and amiable. They do most of the work
in the house and on the farm, and that also with skill and cheer-
fulness.

It is the superiority of the Tibetan wife which keeps the
immigrant Chinaman devoted to her and her fatherland,
which latter is sometimes hard upon him.

88 The Chinese Recorder [February

Tibetan home-life is reallv beautiful. Everything goes
so quietly and smoothly. They seem hind and considerate,
often displaying great tenderness towards one another. They
are on the whole very hospitable and kind to strangers. As to
practical politeness and true courtesy the Tibetans greatly ex-
ceed the Chinese. Their manners in daily life are charming.
One cannot but be pleasantly surprised at finding so much to
admire under an unpleasing and unkempt exterior.

The next day we came over small passes and narrow trans-
verse plains. I caught sight of two big wolves leisurely walking
up a grass covered mountain. My horse was a poor one, so I
dismounted and ran up the pass with my Mauser pistol. Near
the top I found them lying, quietly surveying the land.

I seemed to be only about fifteen yards from the one when
I fired, although my heart was working like an engine after
a run up hill at an elevation of nearly 13,000. Strange to say
the powerful bullet did not land where I intended, or the big
fine creatures could not have galloped off as they did.

The one I aimed at had some difficulty in getting away, and
the men said he was hurt, but he is no doubt still roaming
about on the lofty peaks near Erhlangwan (second wolf curve)
as the Chinese call the lonely courier station where we put up
that night.

During the night we had a heavy fall of snow, and it looked
as if we should be snow bound, but we set out, and after a long
ride up a well-wooded valley we reached Rati, a village with
some ten families, situate on the naked mountain side at an
elevation of 13,563 feet above sea level. This spot has been
made solemn and sacred by our dear brother, William Souter,
of Peterhead, Scotland, going to rest here in the year 1898. He
could scarcely have chosen a place nearer Heaven, but oh ! so
desolate and so cold there by the quiet murmuring stream of
melted snow from the surrounding loftier peaks dressed in
everlasting white; and yet, is he not purer and higher up still
through the merits of the One he loved and loved to serve ?
He died — no, went to sleep while on duty ; his body worn out
with a fever he could no longer resist. He was journeying to
Batang, where he hoped to work for the Tibetans. I was
fortunate in getting a lama to show me where he was buried.
There is only a little heap to mark the spot.

By the help of two Tibetans and a kind Chinese I built a
mound of stones and turf over the grave. Of two pieces of

1908] Diary of a Journey Through "East Tibet" 89

board which I was able to buy, after much search, a cross was
made and then I nailed an inscription on it and erected it on
the grave.

It was rather late by this time, but I got a couple of visible
photos of the spot. Next morning I found that the inscription
had been spoiled somewhat by the snow, so I nailed up a fresh
one on a card-board just under the cross so that water cannot
get to it. Taking my stand at the end of the grave I removed
my hat and . . . well, as sure as the Lord answers that prayer
we shall meet in the morning.

He used to shake hands with people in such a way that
they felt it long after, and surely his grasp will not be less
hearty then ! All who knew Souter will love to think of this
memorial act.

Next morning, the 24th, I had to leave two of my escort
behind on account of snow-blindness and then we crossed the
rest of the high pass and met the Nepaulese embassy on the
other side on its way to Peking with the usual tribute.

They travel in great state with hundreds of Tibetans and
a multitude of animals. What a cruel thing to exact such
services and money from the people through whose districts they
travel ! Some must travel with them for half a month or so,
and supply horses and yaks besides, and all for nothing ! I
learned several things from a Tibetan-speaking Nepaulese about
the Chinese rule in Tibet and conditions along the road to
China. After what he said — and he ought to know having held
important positions in the Government — the Chinese have got
the upper hand at last, and rule with unquestioned authority.
(Thanks to the British. )

On May the 27th I entered Batang — that historical spot —
after travelling along a beautiful valley used by the nomads and
then over a high pass, on which I photographed my caravan in
the snow, and down, down, down through woods and flowers,
from 15,000 to 8,710 the elevation of Batang.

Just before reaching Batang I was shown the spot where
" Amban " (Fong) was killed by the Batang lamas in the late
uprising. A little nearer Batang is a long grave, where lie the
remains of twenty of his soldiers slain at the same time.

It appears that this official wanted to reform the Batang
monks by teaching them the art of war and wishing them to
marry and so on ; of course these things were entirely against
the monastic rules. The monks then said he must be a for-

90 The Chinese Recorder [February

eigner and not one sent by the Emperor, or he would not come
with such orders, and accordingly they told him that he would
be killed. He was hiding in the palace of the Batang chief
for some time. To get him out of there the lamas said they
would not kill him if he would go back to China.

But when he set out for China the lamas were waiting for
him, and killed both him and his soldiers in a narrow ravine
about three miles from Batang. The rebellion then broke out
and spread east and south and even far into Yunnan, ending
in great battles and loss of much life and property. The
lamas themselves set fire to the beautiful lamasery, so that
the Chinese should not get any of its riches, and then, though
scattered, went into hiding.

They first tried to kill all the Chinese and foreigners whom
they imagined had anything to do with reform of any kind. In-
nocent people were butchered and the whole district was ravaged
by the raving priests. What remained of the monastery the
Chinese burned down, so that now only the ruins are remain-
ing. Through these I was able to wander at will. Not long
ago they would have proudly shut the gates in the face of a
foreigner.

Batang is situated in the midst of a fertile plain two miles
by four, enclosed by high, barrier mountains. A river comes
down from the north and along the western range down to
the "River of Golden Sand," six miles or so farther south.
It is spanned by a wooden bridge from the lamasery to the
monastic village on the other side. The town itself, with its
1,500 mixed population, looks very nice, the houses reminding
one of the buildings in Calcutta, with their flat roofs. They
are even plastered over with yellow clay and look imposing
with their regular windows and big gates. The streets are
quite good and the "high street" is supplied with running,
drinking water.

I found nice quarters with a Tibetan family, where
I stayed till May 30th. I called on the Mandarin, who
received me well and sent me presents of rice and flour. Other
people too commenced to do the same, thinking, I suppose,
it would pay.

I was not able to sell books here, so of course I had to let
them have them free. A Batang man, who helped me in the
distribution, said I had better take the books home again, but
by a little talk and patience I was able to give away 270 books

1908] Diary of a Journey Through "East Tibet" 91

while I stayed at Batang. Though Batang has been worked
by the Romanists for some forty to fifty years I was not able to
discover any knowledge of the Gospel amongst the people.
They have, no doubt, been hard to work amongst, having often
sought the missionaries' lives (and taken them too), but they
are now accessible and willing to listen. The Batang chief
said repeatedly, before his murder : " O that the Gospel-hall
people would come to Batang"! Whether he was only
troubled about the uprising rather than his soul, no one can tell,
but he was killed by the Chinese on account of the rebellion,
so also the second chief, whose great palace has now been given
to the Romanists.

I mentioned Chiamdo, etc., and asked about the possibility
of going there, knowing full well what the answer would be.
The Mandarin said that he had no power beyond the Batang
boundary, and that I would need to negotiate with the Ambau
at Lhasa about it. The Tibetans are the only people on the
earth with freedom to go where they like !

The farthest west I was permitted to go was Tsaka, or Yen-
chin as the Chinese call the Tibetan salt district on the banks
of the Mekong river, which I reached on June the 4th.

The first day we followed down the Yangtse river, which
we crossed at Truanang the next morning and soon ascended
the mountain country again and kept at an elevation of
12-14,000 feet till we descended into the Mekong basin, which
is but 8,545 feet, where the village is situated. True we
had a drop down to Dsong with an elevation of 10,000
or so, where we left the main road to Yunnan. I do not
think I have travelled through finer Tibetan country than
that from Truanang (or Yangtse) to Tsaka (Ts'a-k'a, salt
mouth) on the left bank of the Mekong. It is very well
peopled ; the beautiful farms lying only a few miles from
one another. The people are exceedingly nice and kind —
more like central Tibetans, only simpler. Wherever I stop-
ped for Oola or the night they gave me the best room
and oflfered tea, dsamba and sometimes butter and cheese on
my arrival.

Some of the farms are suitable for the cultivation of most
things produced in Norway, while those at an elevation of
13,000 or so can only raise barley and wheat. I had some nice
talks with the people and left books with them to read. I was
glad to find that even ordinary lay boys were able to read. At

92 The Chinese Recorder [February

Gya-neh-ding I got a boy to read aloud the ten commandments.
When he came to "Honour thy father and thy mother," etc.,
I asked him to read it again, and out came the grand old
command in distinct, clear words so that all in the room could
hear. I asked him if he understood, at which he suggestively
blushed — his parents being present. On the road down from
Gya-neh-ding we noticed a stone slab by the side of the road,
with many round hollows in it and a small heap of stones on
the top. This is a "men do" or medicine stone. The people
use the small stones to knock loose some sand in the hollows
of the sand stone slab and then lick or eat the sand thus
loosened as a remedy against numerous ills.

The Tibetan faith in the power of medicine is almost
unbounded, while they have little knowledge of it and still
less proof of its efficacy. There are some splendid forests
along this road. Tsaka puts out a great deal of salt and
supplies all the country west of Tachienlu, practically, with
it, the part supplied from Yen-yuen-shien omitted.

They take it right down to Wei-si. It is excellent salt,
and the best of it is formed like icicles from the dripping brine,
under the roof of caves, and is pure and white. Some of
it (perhaps most of it) is made from brine carried up from
deep caves on to the roof of houses or platforms, where it
is evaporated by sun and wind ; the latter blowing almost
continually.

The village itself is scattered on a small plain about 300
feet above the river, and including the many hundred salt
dryers down on the banks of the river the district is said to
have 5,000 inhabitants. The Roman Catholics have a station
here a little farther up the river. A captain is stationed here
with about 400 soldiers, who one and all were greatly delighted
to see me. I had no Chinese books left, but was able to leave
God's Word behind in Tibetan. This is a good centre for mission
work, being so far inland and in the heart of the salt district.
A big lamasery stood over on the other side of the river, on
a lonely ridge about 11,000 feet above sea level, but as the
inmates joined the rebellion the place was reduced to ruins after
some hard fighting.

A great number of run-away lamas are hiding in a big
lamasery near the Yangtze river somewhere north of Atentse.

On June the 5th we set out for Atentse, following the
Mekong river, but not along its left bank as I had imagined.

4908] Diary of a Journey Through " East Tibet " 93

We had to climb up great mountains as soon as we left the
Tsaka plain, and after crossing into Yunnan found comfortable
lodging in a good Tibetan house — "Penyongo — " at an elevation
of 10,533, where the fields still lay bare and untouched, wait-
ing for the coming summer. I could see a marked difference
in the people. They are tall and thin with slightly different
features, but kind and simple, speaking a dialect of Tibetan
scarcely intelligible to us. Next day we started off with men
and women to carry our luggage and books along a sinuous road,
up and down cliffs, sometimes along the face of cliffs over-
hanging the river. This kind of travelling lasted till we got
near to Atentse, where we left the INIekong and crossed a high,
beautiful pass to our left and then descended sharply to the
town of Atentse.

On the road we met with nothing but kindness, though
the people were eager for money, like the rest of the people
I had to do with all along. A man travelling with oola ought,
they think, to pay heavily for lodging and everything. But
generally they "leave it to the man's honour" to give what
he thinks fit. Some nights I was staying where the
summer had come in power and the corn was ripe and partly
reaped, while at Penyongo and other places fields were still
waiting for the warm weather ! This great variation in tem-
perature and altitude makes travelling rather hard and danger-
ous. The population on both sides of the river is very con-
siderable for such a mountainous district. High snowy ridges
were seen on the other side of the river, hiding Central Tibet
from view.

Tibet is truly a "snow-fenced kingdom," as they call
it themselves, but the political fences with which Great
Britain, China and Tibet combined, encircle this priest-ridden
nation are a greater barrier and not fair to the people thus
condemned to ignorance and darkness. May Britain soon
see this !

I stayed in one very good house in Gesho, with nice upstairs
rooms, fairly clean and light. Such a change after what I had
been used to throughout most of the journey — sleeping in a
room, the kitchen generally, with most ot the family and my
own men. The houses are generally much better here than
they are east of Batang. In spite of their apparent wealth the
young daughter of the Gesh family did not mind carrying my
box for about fifteen miles over a bad roady though it weighed

94 The Chinese Recorder [February

possibly seventy pounds, and then she ran back again the same
day with the rest of the carriers. How different to China and
the Chinese women !

Atentse, or Gyu as the Tibetans call it, is situate in a
narrow valley running south-east at an elevation of 10,644 ft.;
boiling point 192' 2. The town is just now rising out of the
ashes to which it was reduced during the uprising of 1905,
when the Batang lamas came down and burned the place,
being helped by the Atentse priests, who were compelled to
join them.

For some time they laid siege to the town and at last over-
came and burned it, without loss of life, I believe. It is the
Yunnan-Tibetan trade mart, similar to Dachienlu in Szchwan,
only much smaller. It has perhaps 700 people — Chinese and
Tibetan.

I had some difficulty in finding lodgings at first, but by
official help I got a room in a Chinese-Tibetan house. The
landlord had been travelling a great deal in inner Tibet and
added considerably to my knowledge about the newly-discovered
route from Yunnan to Central Tibet. He was most friendly
and offered his assistance. He speaks Lhasa-Tibetan and
Chinese well. I had several earnest talks with that man and
really hope he will turn from his idols (whom he worships so
well) to the living God. Soon after my arrival the Mandarin
came to see me, and as he recognized me from Yunnan fu he
invited me the next day to a feast, together with the gentry of
the place. The commander-in-chief also sent me an invita-
tion to a feast, but I could not wait for it. I stayed two days
in Atentse and had a pleasant time. Even the Tibetans helped
us in getting the remaining Gospels into the hands of the
literati.

On the day of leaving the Mandarin came down to see me
off, and he came in great state, specially to please me. The
friendship shown by the official class gave me a standing with
the people and will make it easy for future travellers or resident
workers. The Catholic place in Atentse has not yet been
rebuilt after the rebellion. They want the Chinese government
to move the Hochin chentai to Atentse, which they (the Chi-
nese) may consider unnecessary.

There is a good road from here to Gyetang or Chongtien,
a big Tibetan centre and a much greater trade mart than
Atentse even, but as I visited that town and the country to the

1908] Diary of a Journey Through "East Tibet" 95

N. E. of Chongtien in 1898 I chose to take the road along the
Mekong to Weisi (Weishi, as it is pronounced.)

I left Atentse on the nth of June and reached Weisi on
the 19th, stopping one Sunday at Kangpu (eight travelling
days, and long ones too). The change from a cold pleasant
climate like that of Atentse to the hot steamy basin of the
]\Iekong was the main discomfort of the journey down to Weisi.
The lowest altitude was nevertheless not below 5,800. The
narrow valley becomes more and more populous as one descends,
but the Tibetan ethnological boundary may be said to cross
the valley at Bady or Bati. Below that place the Moso people
predominate. They are of course intermixed with Chinese and
Iviso ; the latter are now more confined to the mountains and are
not so civilized as the Moso. East of the Yangtze the Tibetans
live farther south ; the country being much higher. Great
numbers of Tibetans come down to the Kawa karpo ("white
snow) sacred mountain, between the Mekong and the Salwin
rivers, near Tzuku, a Roman Catholic station. There is also a
sacred mountain called by Chinese Ji-dsu-shan, N. E. of Tali,
similar to the 0-mei-shan near Kia-ting, Szclnvan. The Roman
Catholics have a solitary station west of the Salwin river. But
most of their stations were ruined in 1905. There is also a
small tribe in this basin called Lahma. The women have big-
silver balls ; one on either side of the face, suspended by a chain
slung over the head. The Moso chiefs, with whom I stayed,
treated me well. They have adopted the Tibetan religion,
or lamaism, and lamaseries are to be found even below
Weisi. As far as it is known they are of the Nying mag-pa,
or "red" sect — the orthodox, not the reformed branch of
lamaism. They are generally more peaceable and quiet, though
drunkenness is not uncommon amongst them. The reformed
sect (gelugpa) is much more powerful and the adherents more
bigoted and proud. The Bon, or pon sect is now nearly
extinct.

Weishi has a Chinese (and Moso) population of nearly 3,000,
and is situated in a fertile valley between high mountains
running north and south. I was here in 1898 when the
city was much more prosperous than it is now. It has passed
through famine and lack of trade, but is now prospering again.

I left Weishi on the 20th of June, having disposed of my
last Tibetan books in the city. The Litipin pass, east of the
city, is frequented by Nutze robbers, so that people only cross

96 The Chinese Recorder [February

it on certain days, when soldiers are sent up to guard the
pass. I had quite a number to escort nie over, but I do not
think there was much need for any. The pass is very steep
on the west side, but has nicely wooded plains on the top
and excellent grazing land at an elevation of 12,000 feet.
In only three hours we ascended nearly 5,000 feet from Weishi
to the top of the pass. Weishi is but 7,234 ft. above the sea.

The following day we got once more into the Yangtze
basin, the third lime en this journey. Here the valley is wide
and populated with Moso and Chinese. On June the 24th I
left the Yangtze at the " great bend " (Shogu), elevation 6,150
ft, i.e., about 500 feet higher than the Mekong on the same
latitude. Shogu is a warm place in summer, and we were glad
to get out of it on to higher ground. It is the second biggest
village in this section of the Yangtze — Jytien being the biggest.
From Shogu we ascended a beautiful pass clothed with trees and
flowers, then went gently down to a beautiful, smiling lake in
the open valley full of corn, wheat, etc., where we had our
meal in the open as usual, and then came on to Juho, a market
town at an elevation of 7,500 ft. I was now in the Mingja
tribe region, which extends to south of Talifu.

This district is one of the most fertile and populous in
Yunnan, as well as the most beautiful. What a splendid field
for missionary operations ! Likiang, Hochin and Chientswan
would form splendid centres. Likiang is on a higher plateau
and has a local dialect of its own. The Mingja have no written
language, and use the Chinese characters. Many of them can
speak Chinese, but many of them cannot. They are an indus-
trious nation ; the women folk will till the soil while the men
go abroad as masons, carpenters, etc. Of this lovely district
much has been written, so I will only say that I was glad to get
into Talifu for a little rest and change on Saturday, June 29th.

We had a good deal of rain during this last part of the
journey. Both my Tibetan helper and I felt rather seedy and
kept fighting against the fever, which we were told at Atentse
was unavoidable.

However the sight of friends once more, and two good
revival meetings, in which twelve men and women of all ages
stood up and asked to be prayed for, so stimulated me that I
had no collapse. This is a new, glad sight for Tali, and the
first fruits of a harvest earnestly prayed and laboured for by
the C. I. M. workers there.

1908]

Correspondence

97

On the 2nd of July I set out again ; this time for home and,
though rather poorly on the road, arrived at Yunnanfu on the 15th
July, glad to find that things had gone on all right under my
wife's care, who had bravely held the fort during my absence.

Thus ended a long and varied journey of about five months
— from February to July, 1907 — through Chinese, Lolo, Moso,
Miso and Tibetan territories, covering a distance of about 2,332
miles.

The present report is but an outline of what might be
related, but it is sufficient to show there is still need for prayer
on behalf of the still closed land.

Correspondence.

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH CHINESE

THOUGHT.
To the Editor of
"The Chinese Recorder."

Dear Sir : In the November
number is a most helpful and
suggestive article by Dr. Garritt
" On Keeping in Touch with
Chinese Thought. " Some of us
•'older missionaries" would
greatly benefit by such studies as
he suggests ; and it is to he hoped
that all the younger generation
will profit by the good advice.
Dr. Garritt says: "If we com-
pare our attainments in Chinese
with those of Chinese youth in
English, we shall probably fail
to measure up. "

At one of our large public
schools in England there are
three Chinese lads who certainly
have not been learning English
for ten years. I have just seen
the term report of their form, and
these lads take first place iu
Scripture, English history, and
English literature ; second place
in several other subjects, and in
none are they anywhere near the
bottom of their form.
Yours,

Lrausanue. E- H. E.

is CHI-TU CHIAO " PROTESTANT "
CHRISTIANITY?

To the Editor of
" The Chinese Recorder."

Dear Sir : One of the most
respected missionaries in China
has pointed out to me in a letter
that the opening sentence of the
Chinese translation of the Re-
solutions of the Centenary Con-
ference states that " Christianity
has been in Cliina for one hun-
dred years" (^ '^ 1^ fc r)lc fr
'A^ ff P M "S ¥ ^) and adds,
" The translators by taking
Chi-tu Chiao to stand for Pro-
testant Christianity, it seems to
me, have committed the gravest
error. There is no word left for
Christianity. I see not how his-
tory is to be written without
such a word."

No one would wish less than
myself to criticise the work of
the translators of the Conference
Resolutions, which has been so
excellently performed, but this
is a case where the interests of
history and literature, as well as
of Christian unity iu its larger
sense, require that a protest
should be made.

98

The Chinese Recorder

[February

One imagines that the trans-
lators were endeavoring to escape
the use of Ye-su Chiao, with its
un-Chinese use of the personal
name of our Lord, when they
adopted Chi-tu Chiao as the
designation of Protestant Chris-
tianity, for they surely cannot
have been unmindful of the fact
that Christianity was in Cliina
before Robert Morrison, both in
the Nestorian and the Latin
form, and that there are Chris-
tians of the Greek churcli in our
midst. However the term came
to be so narrowed it ought not
to pass unchallenged.

What I would urge, and I
think there will be many who
will agree with me, is that to
adopt Chi-tu Chiao as the equi-
valent of " Protestant Chris-
tianity" or "the Reformed
Churches" is, in the first place,
to deprive us of an}' general
term for Christianity, and in the
second place to indirectly stig-
matise Chinese Christians who
are not Protestants as no Chris-
tians. In the interests of the
correct u.se of language, and in
the far greater interests of char-
ity, we shall be making a serious
mistake if we allow an}' such use
of terms to become current.

F. R. Graves.

St. John's University,
January 8th, 1908.

HOW TO MAKE AN OVEN.

To the Editor of

"The Chinese Recorder."

Dear Sir : I have just been
making a baker for the cook ; it
was made out of a kerosene tin,
and it took me about an hour
and a half to make it. The
first one I ever saw came into
existence about as follows : —

I had gone down the river
from Shaowu about eighty miles,
expecting to be gone from home
two or three weeks, and after I
had got well .settled in a chapel
my cook came to inform me that
he had forgotten to bring along
a baker. Now it may seem
irreverent to suggest the help of
the Spirit in such a matter, but
there flashed into my mind a
plan for a cheap, light, handy
baker. I told the cook to get
me a kerosene tin and five feet
of wire, which he did. I cut a
round hole centrally in one side
of the tin, about five inches in
diameter, and this was all that
was needed to make the bottom
of the baker. Next I cut out one
end. Then I made three holes
with a Chinese awl lengthwise
in each side of the tin and about
four irches apart and one-third
way up between the top and the
bottom of the baker, and through
these holes I strung a wire back
and forth, using for this about
forty-five inches. Then I punch-
ed two holes in one edge of
the end piece that I had cut out
and two holes to match in the
corresponding edge of the tin
from which it had been cut, and
through each pair of three holes
I ran a bit of wire and bent it
round to form a not very tight
ring, and thus I had a door for
my baker. At the upper op-
posite corner from these hinges
I punched two holes parallel
with the side of the tin and
about an inch apart, and through
these I ran a bit of wire about
five inches long, and then I bent
about an inch of the forward
end down over the door for a
catch and the other end I bent
forward and down to the tin and
then bent the end upward for a
handle to the catch. The shape
of the wire, after bending, was
about like this: ^llSl "^^^

1908]

Correspondence

99

piece of tin which I had cut
out of the bottom was laid inside
on the cross wires to protect the
bottom of the hake-tin from the
direct heat of fire.

In use the baker was set on a
small Chinese In, over a good
charcoal fire. It baked quickly,
evenly, and with a small con-
sumption of fuel ; and for a
small family it is as satisfactory
as anything I know of as a
substitute for the bake oven of a
good cook stove. One will last
for several months, and when
it gives out, my cook usually
makes a new one without any
help from me except the loan of
tools. But this time he happened
to be away on important family
matters and his substitute came
to me to make the new one.
Fraternally yours,

J. E. Walker.

Shaowu.

children's scripture union.

To the Editor of

"The Chinese Recorder."

Dear Sir : A year ago, as Ho-
norary Secretary for the Chil-
dren's Scripture Union (in China)
in connection with the Children's
Special Service Mission, I men-
tioned in the Recorder the
desire of a number of mission-
aries that a course of readings
should be issued which would
be confined entirely to the New
Testament, especiallj^ for the
benefit of native members who
only possessed a copy of the New
Testament. The replies received
were too few to form a sufficient
guide as to the advisability of
having a New Testament course
in addition to the regular Scrip-
ture readings.

It has been thought advisable,
however, to again attempt a New

Testament course and to issue
a request that any one interested
send for a free copy to the
undersigned, indicating an opin-
ion as to the necessity for such
a plan being pursued. The
course begins with the Chinese
New Year, 2nd February, 1908,
and goes on to the end of the
Chinese Year, 21st January,
1909. The same method has
been followed as before, using
the same portions as we have in
the regular list when it gives
readings in the New Testament,
and filling up with other New
Testament portions when Old
Testament books occur in the
regular list. It has been found
necessary to vary this some-
what so as to avoid breaking a
book into two parts. But still,
while friends are reading the
New Testament in the home
lands, India, Africa, Japan,
and elsewhere, our Chinese
brethren and sisters will be
reading as nearly as possible
the same, and, in the great
majority of cases, exactly the
same portions.

For those who are unac-
quainted with the regular course
we would explain that it takes
us through the Scriptures in five
years ; 1908 being the fourth
year of the present five years'
course. In each year we have
two of the Gospels, some of the
Old Testament Historical Books,
three or four of the Prophetical
Books and two or three of the
Epistles. The Acts of the Apos-
tles, and some of the Psalms, are
read twice during the five years.
In the New Testament, with
slight exceptions, the whole of
each Book is read ; in the Old
Testament Books the most suit-
able portions are chosen. Of
many Old Testament chapters
only a part is taken, that the
portions may not be too long ;

100

The Chinese Recorder

[February

but elder members, if they have
time, are encouraged to read the
verses omitted.

In general an Old Testament
and a New Testament Book are
read alternately. The Psalms,
which throw so much light on
other parts of Scripture, are in-
terspersed between the Books.

As many of the new mission-
aries now on the field have at
home participated in the seaside
services of tlie Children's Spe-
cial Service Mission, and thus
become interested in the Chil-
dren's Scripture Union, we trust
they will interest their new
Chinese friends in all that the

C. S. S. M. stands for ; and
we would take this opportunity
of suggesting to older workers
who have not identified them-
selves with the Children's Scrip-
ture Union the possible gain to
themselves and their native
friends in the stimulus given to
their own regular daily reading
of the Word of God and the
comfort and help received in
being prayerfully linked on with
so many hundreds of thousands
of daily readers all over the
world.

Yours truly,

G11.BERT McIntosh.

Our Book Table.

The object of these Reviews is to give real information about
books. Authors will help reviewers by sending with their books,
price, original if any, or any other facts of interest. The custom
of prefixing an English preface is excellent.

^i ^ ^ ^ W. The Chinese Christian
Fortnightly, Hongkong.

We have received the first
number of this new venture. It
is issued by the Berlin, Basel and
Rhenish Missions in South China,
Rev. I. Genahr, editor. The
paper is not intended to be a
rival of others, but is part of a
movement to draw the three
missions closer together and
acquaint them with one another's
work. There are thirty-four pages
of interesting matter, booklet
size, and the subscription price
is one dollar per year. In the
announcement of policy ^ J^ is
used. It almost seems as if we
could not get on without that
term. Though objectionable,
there seems nothing better to
put in its place.

M%^^^nnm^. 1904. Me-
thodist Press, Foochow. Pp. 82.

% j^t m 1= ft. 1907. Methodist Press,
Foochow. Pp. 218.

\wl%^x n- % m

Press, Foochow.

1904. Methodist
Pp. 178.

S ^ ^ ?i^ fi}? IS M ^il it. 1906. Me-
thodist Press, Foochow. Pp. 180.

The foregoing four books are
by Mr. Li Ch'un-sheng, aFukien
Christian, now in business in
Formosa. He issues them at his
own expense, and anyone wishing
copies can have them free from
the C. L. S., 44 Boone Road, by
paying the postage. The author
has sent several boxes free. The
first goes over various prophecies
in the New and Old Testaments
and shows their fulfilment. He
urges in his preface that ' pro-
phecy ' is not Jl a", but If |§,

1908]

Our Book Table

101

and ' fulfilment ' is not ]® ^., but
^. Those who wish to study
Yen Fu's Huxley will find it
reproduced in the second book,
with the author's criticisms after
each section. The third volume is
made up of four sections, dealing
with Modern Science, Darwinism,
Origin of the Race, Chinese
Race, reproduced apparently
from the columns of the ^ ^^
4|i, now under official ban; the
author's critique follows each sec-
tion. The fourth volume ranges
over fifteen topics of present-day
interest, e.g., the Russo-Japanese
War, Exclusion Act ; but Darwin
and Spencer and Huxley appear
to crop up everywhere in this
man's writings. Here are a few
of the terms we must all get to
know: Evolution, ^-f^j or ^C?^ ;
Natural Selection, t^ tk> ^ M >
Survival of the Fittest, % ^
^ Pt ; Struggle for Existence,
j^swt. 5^. #. ii C; Environment,
^ i^ ; Development, ^ ^ ;
Variation, ^ ^ ; Species, f^ 5^ ;
Origin of Species, {}^ @ ij^^ ;
Influence, ^^ 'fj ; Darwin, ^ ^
35C • Spencer, ^ ^ ^ ; Huxley,
m W t^; Philosophers. n%^:
Religious World, ij: fc ^.

\\i ^ m m ?^ ^. A Geography of
Shantung. By Mr. Liu Shu-deh.
On sale at Presbyterian Mission
Press. Price 35 cents.

This little book deserves notice
as the first of a class. It is sure
to be followed by similar works
treating of other provinces.

Intended for the use of schools
in Shantung, the wealth of in-
formation which it contains is
put in the best form for teacher
and pupil. Not merely does the
question draw attention to im-
portant points, it enables the
teacher to gauge the knowledge
of the student.

So full and minute are the
contents that every school in the

province would do well to make
it a text-book.

The earliest work of the kind
is the Tribute of Yu, a part of
the Shuking, in which the soil
and productions of each region
are described. Until recently
students were required to com-
mit that antiquated rubbish to
memory ! They may now lay
it aside so far as Shantung is
concerned and take instead the
book of Mr. Iviu, a graduate of
the College formerly at Teng-
chow, now Union College, Wei-
hsien. Missionaries and mer-
chants, whose sphere of activity
is in that quarter, will also do
well to consult Mr. I^iu as to
the resources of his native prov-
ince. That province is the holy
land of the Empire, containing
the tombs of most of its ancient
sages and the scenes of most
events in its ancient history.

W. A. P. M.

K R ^ Ifc 'h M; Tales of Tolstoi, by
Rev. I. Genahr, Rhenish Mission-
ary Society, Hongkong. Printed at
The Fukuin Printing Co., Yoko-
hama. W^n-li. Maopien paper.
Pp. 202.

Tolstoi first attracted the at-
tention of Rev. E. F. Gedye, who
gave us " Where Love is, God
is," and "Until Seventy Times
Seven," both in mandarin, and
issued by the Hankow Tract
Society. Now Mr. Genahr gives
us twelve tales by the Russian
prophet, from R. Nisbet Bain's
Tales from Tolstoi. At least one,
if not two, were done before by
Mr. Gedye. We wish these also
were in viandarin. The titles
are as follows : — Master and Man,
How the lyittle Demon earned
his stolen Crust of Bread, Where
Love is, God is, The Candle,
Neglect a Fire and 'twill over-
master thee, Two Old Men, What
Men live by, God sees the Right,

102

The Chinese Recorder

[February

though He be slow to speak, The
Grain that was like an Egg,
Three Old Men, the Godfather,
and another omitted in the pre-
face. The late Pastor Wang
Ping-k'un, author of " Christ
and Confucianism" (C. L. S.)»
wrote the preface, quoting the
examplesof Chun Yii-k'un, Tung
Fang-so, Chuang Tzu and lyieh
Tzu to justify the clothing of great
truths in light garments (j]> |^).
Mr. Genahr himself tells us some-
thing about Tolstoi and fears the
Chinese do not believe anything
good can come out of Russia.
Let them read these stories and
they will almost forget Man-
churia. At the same time he
warns his readers that some traces
of Catholic and Greek church
doctrine are found in the stories.
Would it not be as well to
eliminate these elements, giving
due notice in the preface ? The
use of j5nl m betrays the locality
of the writer. A very striking, if
not handsome, portrait of Tolstoi
in peasant dress is given as a
frontispiece.

1,. Richard's Comprehensive Geogra-
phy of the Chinese Empire and
Dependencies. Translated into En-
glish, revised and enlaiged by M.
Kennelly, S.J. Shanghai : T'usewei
Press, Price $5.50. Special rate to
missionaries. For sale at the Pres-
byterian Mission Press.

It is impossible in the limits of
a Book Table notice to adequate-
ly review all the features of the
encyclopaedic work before us.
In giving a physical and political
description of China and her de-
pendencies many authorities have
been consulted and man}' topics
germane to the subject touch-
ed on. In this comprehensive
survey no important associated
topic, so far as we see, has been
lost sight of. Yet the work is
more than a compilation ; the
arrangement and working up of

the literary matter having been
so admirably thought out and ex-
ecuted that there is no evidence
of patch work.

In the plan of work we first
have the Physical section, in
which the information is grouped
around the three great basins of
China — the Northern, around
the Yellow River ; the Central,
around the Yangtzekiang ; and
the Southern, around the West
River. A general outline of each
region precedes the description
of the provinces. Somewhat
unfortunately, but with advant-
ages of its own, this arrange-
ment provides for treatment
separately of the coast line
which extends along no less than
six provinces. In this section
we gain valuable information with
regard to coast winds, monsoons,
cylones, etc.

In the Political section the
following topics are succinctly
treated : — The government and
administration ; the people, their
language and religions ; military
and educational matters, agri-
culture, industries, trade and
commerce, railway, postal and
telegraph departments, etc. A
terse but valuable account is
appended of the rise and progress
of the Empire down to the edict
of 1905 abolishing the old style
of literary examinations, and
the later steps with regard to the
Commission to Western coun-
tries, the suppression of the
opium habit, etc.

Possibly it is in this section
that we see the difficulty of
treating great and complicated
problems in a condensed manner.
The author admits that the
character of the Chinese is as
hard to decipher as the language ;
and straightway proceeds in a
pithy and graphic style to sketch
in the features of a great figure
on a small canvas.

RIGHT REV. BISHOP MOUI,E, D.D.

(See Book Table Department, p. loj.)

1908]

Our Book Table

105

A snjTgestive feature to the
student is the space given to the
References, which are wide in
their range and indicate the vast
bibliography available on things
Chinese. Many references are
made to the volumes of the
Recorder and to missionary
authors. A list of the cities,
towns and open ports ; a copious
index ; forty-two sketch plans,
geological maps and diagrams ;
a large map of China and three
smaller ones showing physical
and political aspects, the Hupeh
plain and the lower Yangtze
basin, are some of the good
things for which we have only
space for bare enumeration.

To the author and translator we
ofier hearty congratulations on
the completion of a most useful
work. Very suitably is it
dedicated to all those who take
interest in the progress, welfare
and prosperity of China.

G. M.

A RETROSPECT OF SIXTY YEARS.

By the Rt. Rev. Bishop Moule, D.D.
On sale at the Presbyterian Mission
Press. Price 40 cents.

There are a few distinguished
members of the missionary body
in China who by the quiet and
effective devotion of their mis-
sionary service, as well as their
consistent brotherly love, have
not only been honoured by but
have also endeared themselves to
the hearts of their fellow-workers.
Bishop Moule is preeminently
such a missionary, and these few
glimpses of his long years of
Christian life and service will
appeal to the more than sympa-
thetic attention of very man3\

It is not expected from Bishop
Moule that in such a work as
this he .should use the broad
brush and the vivid colours
which some of our senior breth-

ren wield .so effectively in their
missionary literature. His is
' the harvest of the quiet eye,'
none the less in.spiring in its
record because it restricts itself
to work that the writer is per-
sonally in touch with and events
in which he has played his part
so unobtrusively and yet with
such effect. The advance of the
C. M. S. missions in Chekiang
and Kiangsu must always be
connected with the name of the
Monies, and it is well that this
narrative should have been
published that all may know
something of the spirit and
method of its accomplishment.
Beginning with his life in the
quiet Dorsetshire parsonage
which sheltered the youth of a
family of boys vi'hose record in
the service of the Church of
their fathers in the last two
generations it will be difficult to
parallel, we are told of the con-
version, the university career,
the home service and the depar-
ture for China, which took place
in the year 1857. He tells us that
he named China as the country
to which his thoughts had turned
in thinking upon a missionary
career by what he "wrongly
imagined to be the prosaic and
unroniantic nature of the people
and the country." The advent of
the Taiping rebels to Chekiang
in 1858 (the year of his settle-
ment in Ningpo) and the course
of this rebelHon during a number
of succeeding years gave the
young missionary reason for
reconsidering this estimate of
the Chinese. It was in 1864 that
Mr. Moule attempted the settle-
ment in Hangchow on behalf of
his mission ; in the following
year premises were rented, and
from that date the history of his
work is centred chiefly in that
city. In 1880 Mr. Moule was
ordained to the bishopric of Mid-

104

The Chinese Recorder

[February

China, and on his arrival in
Shanghai in 1881 took possession
of the episcopal seat formerly
occupied by Bishop Russell. That
he has held for twenty-six years.
The venerable Bishop' s review
of some of the changes that have
come over Hangchow since he
first occupied it and his com-
ments thereupon, are of more
than local importance and
sufiSciently weighty, especially
having regard to their source, to
deserve quotation at length.
He says : ' ' When I first found
in 1864 what has proved to be a
home, if anything below the
sky deserves that holy name,
China had been convulsed from
end to end by the Taiping
upheaval. She had been glad
to borrow help with one hand
from the Western powers against
the domestic foe, while with the
other she strove to keep those
powers at bay. Yet then, and
for full thirty years more, she
was the unchanged China still.
As I aproached Hangchow in
that distant year the great
suburbs on the river and the canal
were practically obliterated. . . .
Much more than half the city
lay in ruins. In the thirty years
down to 1894 the wounds of
Hangchow had nearly all been
closed, and of many the very
scars had disappeared. And it
had been done with as little
as possible of deviation from the
time-honoured rules of Chinese
architecture and embellishment.

The novelties that pain

US are due chiefly to the past
dozen years. And these obtrusive
novelties betoken, I think, all
too accurately the change and
the character of the change that
has come over Hangchow society
chiefly during the same short
period. When I wrote in 1889
I hazarded the prophecy that I
at any rate should not live to

see the end of the great National
system of Competitive Exami-
nation My prophecy has

failed. . . . The great educational
system that goes with it had its
faults, and the Confucian ethics
have their deficiencies, but for the
mass of the people at present it is
Confucian morality or none, since
whatever else is accepted from the
West by way of education, it does
not embrace our, that is to say,
the Christian morality. . . . Hence
we have the sad and unpromising
phenomenon of the eager pursuit
of some branches of European
and American education, while
we are assured that Englishmen
and Americans are, less noisily
perhaps, but more cordially hat-
ed than ever. And it is on this
account that I long far more than
I used to do to see the church
in the West, under whatever
denomination, roused to the duty
of a really generous expenditure
of her money and of her best-
equipped sons and daughters on
the effort to seize the critical
moment, and, if it is yet possible,
offer to the Chinese everywhere
the best and most thorough in-
tellectual instruction in schools
conducted on confessedly and
thoroughly Christian and Scrip-
tural principles. I confess to
the fear that high as our aims
have always been in the colleges
and medical schools we have
been enabled to open, the
results have not corresponded
to our aims. Good scholars and
mathematicians, good school-
masters, good doctors, have been
produced, but if I am not mis-
taken the earnest and educated
evangelist and pastor, the medical
missionary, is as rare as he was
ten years ago ; rarer perhaps in
view of the widening field and
the multiplying flocks. Am I
mistaken in surmising that the
teaching force has been inade-

1908]

Our Book Table

105

quate, not certainly to impart
skill and scholarship, for they
are in evidence, but at the same
time to impart character and at
the same time to encourage
whole-hearted spiritual devotion
by example ? "

The air of comprehensive
charity and Christian fellowship
with which we have been wont
to connect the name of the vener-
able author of this Retrospect
breathes through the whole of
these recollections. We are
assured that, only too slight as
these are, their perusal will prove
inspiring, revealing as they do
the patient and steady labour
through a long life-time of a sin-
gularly devoted personality to
whom the service of his lyOrd has
been an increasing joy.

W. N. B.

Jesus Christ and the Social Question.
An Examination of the Teaching of
Jesus in its Relation to some of the
Problems of Modern Social Life.
By Francis Greenwood Peabody
Plummer, Professor of Christian
Morals in Harvard University. New
York: The Macmillan Co., 1906.
Price, Gold |i. 50. From the General
Committee, Y. M. C. A., Shanghai,
Mex. I3.00.

The radical and more ethical
nature of modern socialism, as
compared with the past, is an
indication of the real progress
which the race is making. At
the same time a chasm has devel-
oped between socialism and
Christianity, which is due to a
misinterpretation by the socialist
of the real nature of Christianity
on the one hand, and a failure
of the Christian to live up to the
social principles of Jesus on the
other. To study these princi-
ples, therefore, is of command-
ing importance to the Christian.
It is to this study that the author
invites us.

Three characteristics, he says,
are fundamental in the social
teaching of Jesus : its view from
above, its approach from within,
and its movement towards a
spiritual ideal. Jesus had the
wisdom which gave him a wide
social horizon, an interest in the
individual which meant social
power, and an idealism which
provided an unchanging social
aim.

These three principles are
shown to have peculiar adapta-
bility to the present-day dangers
of the socialistic movement. In
absorption in details there is a
tendency to narrowness which
finds its antidote in the larger
horizon of Christ's social in-
struction. In the multiplicity of
schemes and organizations there
lies a very real tendency to ex-
ternalism, which is met by the
individualistic character of Jesus'
teaching. In the materialistic
outlook of the social discussion
is involved a lack of spiritual
purpose which is fully supplied
by the spiritual ideal which Jesus
keeps constantly before Him.

After an elaborate introduction
along these lines, to which one-
third of his book is devoted, the
author proceeds to discuss, in
the light of Jesus' teaching, four
particular phases of the social
problem, viz., the family, the rich,
the poor, and the industrial order.

The same keen discernment
of underlying principles, which
is so characteristic of the first
part of his book, is manifest in
the more detailed study of the
later chapters. For instance, in
the discussion of the teaching of
Jesus concerning the rich, he
shows that Jesus sometimes spoke
as if wealth were a trust to be
used, and sometimes as if it were
a peril to be escaped. The ap-
parent contradiction is removed
by pointing out that the ' ' deceit-

106

The Chinese Recorder

February

fulness" of money lies in the
fact that, at first cue's servant, it
may at an}^ moment become one's
master. Jesus gives us therefore
two solemn alternatives from
which to choose — the mastery
of wealth, or the abandonment
of it.

In discussing the industrial
order, he states the difference
between the teachings of the
modern socialist and of Jesus to
be that " the aim of the one is to
make the poor rich, and the aim
of the other is to make the bad
good." And again, "according
to Jesus, the root of the industrial
question is not in conditions but
character."

In his closing chapter the
author shows how the social
forces, like the physical, are cor-
related and how they constantly
interact on each other. Not only
so, but they all are expressions
of an underlying social energy
which for its moral tone is
dependent on the teaching of
Jesus. To those who are trying
to follow in the footsteps of this
Teacher comes the call to be — not
the repositories of doctrine — but
the dynamos of social power, of
which the present age stands so
much in need. And the applica-
tion to the missionary is aptly put
in a sentence near the close of the
book : " Many a man can teach
Christian doctrine to heathen
listeners, but only a life which
has been hid with Christ in God
can communicate to heathen lives
the spiritual energy which pro-
ceeds through Christ from God."

D. W. ly.

A Critical History of Unbelief in the
Nineteenth Century, by Professor
Sheldon. Eaton and Mains, N. Y.

The contest with paganism in
China is by no means over, but
forces are actively at work, other

than evangelical Christianity,
that are sure to be fatal in the
near future to the grosser forms
of idolatry and superstition.
Every modern teacher, author
and editor is, in this sense, a
missionary. The enemy to the
Christian faith that is most to
be feared, and which calls loudly
for a literature to meet it, is the
agnostic materialism and other
phases of unbelief in the Christian
revelation so prevalent during
the last century. Agnosticism
has almost captured the student
class of Japan. The fifteen
thousand Chinese students in
Tokio are sure to imbibe it
along with their modern educa-
tion. They will think it is the
latest Western learning. Already
these books are circulating widely
in China, and no doubt the
poison is just beginning to work.
The missionary can no more
afford to ignore this important
change of front in the Chinese
opposition to Christianity than
he could wisely disregard the
Chinese Classics in the recent
past. He must fortify himself
to meet these young fledgelings
in philosophy on their own
ground and answer their objec-
tions. Especially is it important
in view of the danger our
Christian young men are in of
being swept away by plausible
arguments which they are not
able to meet. These skeptical
books will fall into their hands.
They will become unsettled in
their faith. Happy is that mis-
sionary teacher who holds so
firmly the confidence of his
pupils that at such times the
perplexed seeker after truth
among his students comes to him
for aid. But how are they to be
dealt with? The time is past
when we can speak ex cathedra
and settle all such questions by
our ipse dixit. On the other

1908]

Our Book Table

107

hand, there are few missionaries
who have the time or strength
to wade through the maze of
Spencerian philosophy, positiv-
ism, the destructive criticism
of Strauss and all the rest of it,
and then take up the various
answers to these men, as they
have appeared in bulky volumes
from time to time.

It really seems like a special
providence caring for the in-
terests of the missionary work
in China, that there should
appear at this time a volume
from the pen of Professor Henry
C. Sheldon, of Boston University,
that contains within four hun-
dred pages practically the whole
of the pros and cons of every
important phase of this subject,
set forth clearly in the title :
"A Critical History of Unbelief
in the Nineteenth Century."

Professor Sheldon is singular-
ly well qualified for preparing a
work of this kind. His judicial
temper leads him to state with
admirable fairness the arguments
of the men with whose position
he does not agree. With his
habit of patient research he has
gone into the whole subject most
thoroughly and has given the
salient points of every system of
scientific unbelief. This is all
done with remarkable brevity
and clearness, as well as justice
to the various authors. The
writers themselves could scarcely
take exception to his statements
of their teaching. In his replies
to the various anti-Christian
arguments he is no less judicial.
There is no intemperate railing,
though his keen rapier finds the
joints of their harness, and when
he ceases you feel that the foe
has been silenced, if not slain.
Professor Sheldon is thoroughly
modern in his scholarship, but
that makes him none the less
evangelical in his faith. He

holds tenaciously to the essen-
tials of the Christian faith, which
are few, but vital, and he
defends them with irresistible
and convincing logic.

It is the writer's conviction
that no missionary in China to-
day can afford to be without
this book, and that none of us
can better employ the time that
it will take to give it two or
three careful readings. If it has
a wide circulation amongst us in
English, surely some one, qualifi-
ed to do so, will be moved to put
it into Chinese. This would
require not only a very high
grade of Chinese scholarship but
an unusual type of philosopiiical
mind, that is not only able to
understand the writer but to
make the author's thoughts his
own. It is far more probable
that the ideal book in Chinese
upon this subject will be obtained
by a first class translation of this
book than that both the work of
original composition and the
putting into Chinese can be done
by the same writer ; for it is not
likely that anj'^ one whose life
has been expended in becoming
a Chinese sinologue will be as
well qualified for the work of
research and composition as is
Professor Sheldon.

He wrote a special treatise on
theology, which Dr. A. . P.
Parker is translating.

W. N. Brewster.

Calendrier-Annuaire pour 1908 (6e
Annuel. Price li.oo. SliJUigliai :
Iniprinierie de la Mission Catholi-
que a I'Orphelinat de T'ou-se-w^.

We have again been favored
with this Almanac. We have
enjoyed looking over its pages.
It continues to improve in both
quantity and quality of informa-
tion given. We find in it, beside
the usual calendars, much astro-
nomical, geographical, and sta-

108

The Chinese Recorder

[February

tistical information corrected to
almost the date of issue ; also
many interesting charts ; tide,
mathematical, exchange and other
tables. A very valuable addition
is a list of the oflSces of the
Imperial Postal Service and the
Imperial Telegraph Administra-
tion, giving the spelling recently
adopted by those services.

For those who read French
this almanac provides 260 pages
of very valuable information.
Those who desire it to reach
them early should, of course,
order it in advance.

H.

China Centenary Missionary Con-
ference : Addresses Public and
Devotional. Published by the
Conference Committee. Shanghai :
Methodist Publishing House and
Presbyterian Mission Press. Price
I125.

Not the least interesting of the
three volumes published by the
Conference Committee is the
book now before us. The " Cen-
tury of Missions " gives us valu-
able details for a history of
Protestant missionary work in
China. The "Records" deal
with our present problems and
offer some well-considered sug-
gestions for their solution. In
the "Addresses" we have a
more personal note — words of
encouragement from experienced
workers, exhortations to fresh
consecration, and challenges to
bolder service.

The Editorial Committee have
done their work well and the
publishers have produced a
volume in every way equal to
books published in Kurope or
America.

The addresses naturally fall
into two classes : (i) Those de-
livered to the general public at
the Town Hall meetings, and
(2) Those prepared more espe-

cially for the devotional services.
The former occupy some 123
pages, and the latter about half
that number.

Those who heard Dr. Arthur
Smith's survey of the past
hundred years and Mr. Pearce's
lecture on Robert Morrison will
be glad to have them in this
convenient form, whilst those to
whom the privilege of hearing
was denied, can now share the
pleasure of their more fortunate
brethren. Dr. Smith's lecture
loses nothing by being printed —
his firm grasp of the subject, his
illuminating exposition, and the
sparkle of his style are all in
these pages and make them
delightful reading. Mr. Pearce's
noble tribute to Morrison de-
serves the careful study which
can now be given to it ; for it
is not merely a restatement of
well known facts, but an appre-
ciation of the mind and spirit of
a man in every way worthy of
the honours that has been done
to him in the recent Centenary
celebrations.

Following these lectures are
addresses by Dr. D. L. Ander-
son, Sir Alexander Simpson, and
Bishop Bashford on "The In-
fluence of Christian Missions on
Chinese National I^ife and Social
Progress " ; by Rev. Frank Len-
wood on " The Motive and Ob-
ject of Missions in the Light of
Present Conditions " ; by Rev.
F. W. Bailer, Rev. C E. Ewing
and Dr. R. Wardlaw Thomp-
son on " The Outlook for the
Future"; and by Dr. J. F.
Goucher, Rev. J. Webster and
Professor Harlan P. Beach on
"Intellectual and Ethical Pro-
blems." In looking over these
addresses one is struck by their
sanity and their grasp of essen-
tial things. They are thought-
ful statements and arguments
rather than rhetorical appeals.

1908]

Our Book Table

109

Through each address there runs
a happy optimism, whether the
speaker was a representative of
a Board or Committee burdened
with financial cares and adminis-
trative problems or a missionary
straight from his task in city
or country station. Had the
questions discussed by the Con-
ference been less absorbing and
had the discussions themselves
been less exhaustive, these
public addresses would have
attracted more attention at the
time. It will now be found
that they are an appropriate and
useful supplement to the " Res-
olutions" in which the Con-
ference embodied its decisions.

The second part of the book
consists of the sermon preached
in the Cathedral by Bishop
Motile, the address of Arch-
deacon Moule at the thanksgiv-
ing meeting, and ten addresses
delivered at the morning devo-
tional meetings. With so much
packed into so few pages, it is
scarcely necessary to say that
there are not many dull para-
graphs. The fine spirit which
breathes through Bishop Moule' s
sermon runs through all the
addresses, and no one who
reads them can mistake their
message. Each title is signifi-
cant and indicates the line of
thought that is pursued : — The
Greeting of the Risen Lord, Pray-
er the Secret of Power, The Law
of Life in Christ, The Preaching
of the Gospel and the Ministry

of the Spirit, The Fulness of the
Spirit, Our Unity in Christ,
Qualifications for Service, The
Holy Scriptures and their Right
Understanding, The Attractive
Power of the Cross, Led by the
Spirit. The speakers were all
representatives of Home Boards
and they spoke from wide per-
sonal experience and with a
profound conviction that those
who would know the secret of
the Lord must dwell under the
shadow of the Almighty.

"The volume is issued," the
preface states, "in the hope
that a perusal of the addresses
may keep alive the spirit of the
Conference and that the mes-
sages they convey may be a
word in season to weary and
discouraged workers and a fresh
call to prayer for the reception
of the Holy Spirit in His fulness,
and may strengthen the whole
body of missionaries for a more
earnest and intelligent effort for
the winning of China for Christ."
May this hope be realized.

H.

RECEIVED.

Bi-montbly Bulletin of the Southern
Presbyterian Mission,

Epistle to the Romans in Standard
Romanization. B. & F. Bible Soc.

Shanghai Baptist College Prospec-
tus, 1907.

America — A World Power (Chinese).
Methodist Press.

The Young Christian (Chinese).
Methodist Press.

Books in Preparation.

(Correspondence invited.)

The following books are in course
of preparation. Friends engaged in
translation or compilation of books
are invited to notify Rev. D. Mac-
Gillivray, 44 Boone Road, Shanghai,
of the work they are engaged on, so
that this column may be kept up

to date, and overlapping prevented.
N. B. Sovte ivhose names have been
OH, this list a long tiwe are asked to
write and say if they have given up
the work, or what progress, if any,
they are making. Perhaps they are
keeping others from doing the work.

110

The Chinese Recorder

[February

C. L. S. List: —

Industrial History of England (out).

Leaders of Modern Industry.

Milner's England in Egypt (out).

Booker T. Washington's " Up from
Slavery." By Mr. Kao Lun-cliing.

Selections from Hastings' Bible Dic-
tionary. By D. MacGillivray.

Laidlaw's Sin and Salvation, E.
Morgan (out).

The Incarnate Saviour. By D. Mac-
Gillivray.

Three-fold Secret of the Holy Spirit
(McConkey). By Miss Home (out).

Japanese Educational System. E.
Morgan (out).

Dr. H. A. Johnston's " Studies for
Personal Workers." By Mrs. A. H.
Mateer (out).

Sharman's "Studies in the Life of
Christ." By Miss Sarah Peters.
Nearly ready for the press.

Ballantine's Inductive Studies in
Matthew.

Alone with God, by Dr. J. H. Garri-
6on. W. Renifr}^ Hunt.

Psahns, INIetrical Version of, by F.
W. Bailer (in press).

The Five Great Offerings, By F. W.
Bailer.

Organ Instructor. By Mrs. R. M.
Mateer.

Teddy's Button. Mrs. R. M. Mateer.

Murray's New Life. R. A. Haden.

Murray's Like Christ. By Mr. Chow,
Hangchow College.

Illustrations for Chinese Sermons,
by C. W. Kasller.

vS3'stematic Theology. 12 parts.
Dr. DuBose.

Torrey's How to Pray. Chen Clmng-
kuei.

" Little Faith." Mrs. Crossette.

Expository Com. on Numbers. By
G. A. Clayton.

Little Meg's Children. By Mrs.
Crossette.

Prof. Chwolson's Hegel, Hackel,
Kossuth, and the 12th Commandment.
By F. Ohlinger.

Miss Garland proposes a Children's
Hymnal on a scale much larger than
hitherto attempted — iu fact a Chinese
"Golden Bells."

Sermons on Acts. Genahr.

Pontoppidan's Explanation of Lu-
ther's Catechism. American Lutheran
Mission.

Outlines of Universal History. H.
L. W. Bevan, Medhurst College.

Concordance Dr. C. H. Fenn.
F^ssentials of Christianity (Methodist
Theology). Dr. A. P. Parker.

Torrey's What the Bible Teaches.
By J. Speicher.

Tholuck's Sermon on the Mount.
By J. Speicher.

Psychology for Teachers. By S. B.
Drake.

Ancient Babylonia and Assyria. By
S. B, Drake.

"His Great Apostle," and "His
Friends." By a Chinese friend.

Catechism for Primary Sunday
Schools. By Mrs. Crawford.

Choosing a Life Work ; Yours. A
manual of texts for young Christians.

Stones from the Brook.

Stalker's Paul.

Robert Speer's Principles of Jesus.
J H. Jowett's The Passion for Souls.
Bolh iu mandarin. Many Infallible
Proofs. Inspiration of a Christian,
Fulness of Power. By J. Vale.

Mrs. Nevius' Mandarin Hymn Book.

Dr. and Mrs. Nevius' Manual for
Christians, with answers to the ques-
tions.

Practical Chemistry in three parts :
I. Inorganic, Elementary.
II. Inorganic, Qualitative and

Quantitative Analysis.
III. Organic.

Practical Physics. — These both bv
H. G. Whitcher, B.Sc.. and Bae Yii'-
chang, of theShantungUnion College.

Constructive Studies in Life of
Christ. H. W. Luce.

By Y. M. C. A. :—

Main Lines in the Bible. Fred. S.
Goodman.

How to Study the Bible. Torrey.

Habit. Prof. William James.

Fundamental Principles of the
Christian Life. H. C. King.

Outline Studies in Biblical Facts
and History, J. N. De Puy and J. B.
Travis,

1908]

Missionary News

111

Missionary News.

Riots in Northern Chehkiang

Several causes have contribu-
ted to the unrest that has prevail-
ed in the districts of Dongshang
(otherwise T'ung-hsiang) and
Shihnien and Haining in north-
ern Chehkiang.

The closing of the opium dens
has let loose a number of peoj^le
of the baser sort who are out of
employment, a half famine has
wrought discontent among the
country people, the price of rice
has been and still is abnormally
high, and the slack times have
suspended many building opera-
tions and so thrown out of em-
ployment a large number of the
artisan class. The railroad
agitation has had a generally
disturbing effect. Add to this
the fact that officials in interior
cities are poorly equipped with
soldiers, and many of the so-call-
ed soldiers work in secret con-
junction with the robber class,
which class under various names
is greatly on the increase. Take
all these causes together and we
have the elements of a disturbed
state of affairs, and the occasion
arrived when the time came for
the payment of taxes — the people
demnnding a reduction on the
usual rate. And it was in those
districts where a reduction was
not granted that the difficulties
arose.

Man}'^ of the country people
joined in the riois, but the in-
stigators were of the robber
class. The worse elements among
the country people voluntarily
joined the movement, but there
■were many others who were
pressed in on threat of death as
the mob made its raid through
the country. One city aud town

after another was attacked, ya*
mens, treasurers' offices, police
.stations, school houses, railroad
offices, post offices, stores aud
private liouses being dismantled
according to the mood of the
raiders. Country places as well
as towns were attacked and an
immense amount of property
was stolen or destroyed. The
Chinese shrewdly sum up the
.situation by saying, [Jf;] -(f ^ ^,
It M ^J |g which, freely trans-
lated, would seem to mean, "A
rice-tax mob as a pretext, but
plunder as the real thing."

The largest place attacked was
Hazeh (otherwise Hsia-shih, or
Ah-zah), where a new Roman
Catholic chapel was burned and
where railroad office, steamer
office, post office, and about a
hundred shops suffered, but not
the Presbyterian ehapel. The
public school at Tu-tien-shih (or
Du-dien-z), six miles further
north,^ was burned to the ground,,
and both Roman Catholic aud
Protestant chapels dismantled.

The place that suffered most
was the district city of Dong-
shang (or T'ung-hsiang). Here
the mob came at night, and
through the absence of the dis-
trict magistrate and the general
inefficiency of his administration ^
they entered the city about
2,000 strong, demolished the
yam^n and police and treasurer's
offices and some private houses,
and about 100 stores were broken
into and some of them rifled
of all of their contents. Last
of all the mob came to the
Southern Presbyterian Mission
place which, as seems to be the
general opinion, was mistaken
for the government school near
by on the same street. They

H2

The Chinese Recorder

[Febiuary

had already set fire to several
places and the fire was put out,
but here they made their fire
with a pile of broken chairs and
books in the guest-room of the
school building, pouring kero-
sine oil over the whole and then
setting it aflame, so there was
no hope of saving the building
and it and a row of native houses
near were completely detroyed.
The chapel caught, but was sav-
ed through the heroic efforts of
Chinese on the place, aided by
some of the boys from the
government school. It is indeed
providential that no lives were
lost. Nothing serious was ap-
prehended, for early in the even-
ing there had been a quiet
evangelistic service, and many
had already gone to sleep when
a prominent gentleman of the
city, himself on the eve of flight,
came to warn our people ol
danger.

The missionaries were keeping
watch outside the north gate and
the Chinese were prepared for
flight when the mob broke in the
gates. The Chinese families
and school boys lost their bed-
ding and clothes and personal
effects of all sorts. But no lives
were lost and no foreign-built
house was molested. A week
after the troubles the mission-
aries were quietly at their station
again, where they have bad a
stream of callers of all classes of
the people, especially of the
better families, who came to ex-
press sympathy and indigna-
tion at the occurrence. There
has been no manifestation of
anti-foreign feeling in connection
with the disturbances. The
people who fled from Dongshang,
a large number, have returned.
The district magistrate respon-
sible for the troubles was im-
mediately dismissed by the
governor and a very vigorous

and efficient man put iu his
place.

The general conditions are
quiet at this writing.

P. F. P.

January 20th.

Corner Stone of Yates
Hall Laid.

A pleasant function took place six
miles north-east of Shanghai on Tues-
day, January 2ist, when the Hon. E.
w' Stephens, first President of the
General Convention of Baptists in
North America, laid the corner stone
of the new Yates Hall, which is build-
ing on the land purchased for the
College and Theological Seminary of
that chnrch. A large party of mis-
sionaries and other guests were con-
veyed from the city to the site of the
building in a tender, and assembled in
the dwelling of one of the staff. The
ground floor was entirely filled with
foreign and Chinese guests. Dr.
Goddard, of Ningpo, took the chair,
and near him were seated the Hon.
E W. Stephens, the Hon Joshua
Levering, of Baltimore, a representa-
tive ol' the Laymen's Missionary
Movement, His Highness M. T. Liang,
and the Hon. C A. Denby, American
Consul General at Shanghai. A Chinese
hymn was sung and prayer offered.

Dr. Goddard, in introducing the
Hon. E. W. Stephens, said that the
college and the hall of which the
fonndation stone was to be laid that
day, were the outcome of the delibera-
tions of a Mumber of Baptist mission-
aries from the North and South of
the States, who had had to spend
several months together in Shanghai
owing to the Boxer troubles. They
had adopted a scheme for union in
educational work, and at this time
they could joyfully set up their
Ebenezer, for hitherto the Lord had
helped them.

The Hon. E. W. Stephens then
made a lengthy speech, in the coarse
of which he referred to the College
and Theological Seminary as occupy-
ing at Shanghai the same position
as the statue of Liberty at New York.
Both stood practically at the entrance
of the harbour of a large city ; both
were presented by a friendly nation
as a tokeu of sympatky. Moreover,

1908]

Missionary News

113

as the statue of Liberty was erected
just as the United States completed
the first century of their independ-
ence, so the new college was buildinj^
just over a century after the dale
when the Gospel was first brought
into China. The century that had
passed had 1)een marked by much
pain and travail on the part of mis-
sion labourers, and that day they
should remember the many devoted
workers who had endured privation
and suffering to bring the Gospel to
China. It was fitting that they
should first pay a tribute to the man
after whom the hall was named, the
Rev. Matthew Tyson Yates, who had
planted the standard of Christianty
in China sixty years ago, and who
was entitled to a place in the first
rank of devoted Christian workers.
There were many other missionaries
who were really the foundation stones
of tliis edifice. ' The Baptists of Amer-
ica had heard the Macedonian cry of
China and had come over to help
her, and realizing that the people
could not hear the Gospel without
preachers, and that the best preach-
ers were men of their own race, they
had provided this college in which to
train Chinese for the ministry. An
educated ministry was necessary to
combat the errors of idolatry and edu-
cated infidelity China awakening,
after sleeping for centuries in the
tomb of idolatry, was a problem with-
out parallel, past or present. A mil-
lion dollars was needed for the build-
ing and land for this college ; another
million would be needed for its en-
dowment. Never had American Bap-
tists responded more generously to
the call for funds than at the present
day. No man could deny what a
great factor missions were in the JCast,
A favouring condition at tlie present
day was the attitude of the govern-
ment towards Christianity. There
was good reason to believe that reli-
gious freedom now prevailed in China.
He had been told in Peking that it
was now impossible to travel for a
day in any direction, in China, with-
out meeting a m^issionary. After
giving some statistics in connection
with Protestant missions, and particu-
larly Baptist missions, the speaker
said that he wished it were possible
for all American laymen to see what
he had seen of their work in China,
of their zeal and consecration, of the
practical methods pursued. They
would then understand that their sub-
scriptions had not been expended
upon sentiuieutalists or iucompetenls.

He then referred to the importance
of medical mission work, and of work
among the Chinese women, and urged
Baptists in China and America to co-
operate to make the institution in
which they met that afternoon a
blessing to mankind and a glory to
God.

The next speaker was His Highness
M. T. Liang, who, addressing the audi-
ence in Chinese, .said that the build-
ings they had .seen as ihey neared the
Point were unfinished college build-
ings. A useless i)iece of ground had
been taken and made into a centre of
usefulness. Mr. Stephens liad men-
tioned that his countrymen had con-
trii)uted $60,000 for the building of
this college ; such generosity ought to
be appreciated. Tlie students would
learn nuich that would be useful not
only to themselves, but also to their
country. The attitude of the Eiast
towards .schools was one of encourage-
ment, and he promised all the assist-
ance in his power to this college.

The Hon. C. A. Denby reJerred to
the college as the crowning point of
Dr. Yates' work. What was the
crowning point of other people's
work, however, was the foundation
of that of the present generation.
Marquis Tseng twenty years ago had
said that great bodies took a long
time to more, but that when they did
move they could not be stopped. He
(Mr. Denby) had no fear of the
Yeilow Peril, but the Chinese had
learnt from Western nations the valoe
of organized force. The Japanese
Minister at Paris had once said that
when the Japanese army had slain
40,000 Russians in one day the Euro-
pean Powers considered that she was
civilized ! Thej should be careful to
keep China under their influence a
little longer, to enable her to unlearn,
if possible, a little of what they had
taught her, and to show her that they
were ashamed that she had learnt the
worst side of their civilization. He
considered this institution as a useful
means to this end.

After diplomas had been presented
to ten students who have completed a
course of eighteen months' study, the
Hon. Joshua Levering warned those
entrusted with the management of the
college against allowing ft to become
a purely secular institution.

The company then adjourned to the
site of the Yates Hall, where Mr. Nyi,
as Chairman of the Chinese Adidsory
Board, presented the Hon. E. W.
Stephens with a silver trowel where-
with to lay the corner stoue.

ii4

The Chinese Recorder

[February

Mr. Stephens, after receiving the
trowel, expressed a wish that the
corner stone of the college might
always be Christ. He then laid the
stone, after which Dr Hawks-Pott, of
St. John's College, offered prayer.

The party returned to the tender,
on board of which tea was served on
the way up river to Shanghai. — Con-
densed from N.-C. Daily News.

The Late Miss Vaug^han.

The city and neighbourhood of
Hangchow have suffered a severe loss
through the death, on January 8, of
Miss Vaugluin, an honorary worker in
connection with the Church Mission-
ary Society. The crowd of people that
followed the coffin through the streets
to the West Lake (whence it was con-
veyed by boat to the cemetery) was
evidence of the place which Miss
Vaughan had gained by her self-
sacrificing life in the hearts of all
who knew her. For she preached one
doctrine without words, which ap-
pealed to Coiifucianist, Buddhist and
Christian alike, namely, the doctrine
of living for others. Now that she
is gone it is allowable to speak of
what she in her lifetime never wished
to be mentioned. Many are the in-
stitutions and societies in this and
other lands which will miss the gener-
ous support she gave them year by
year. But, throughout her whole
missionary career, she carried out the
principle shown in early childhood
of doing good unostentatiously. On
Saturday, the iith, a memorial serv-
ice was held in the large schoolroom
of the beautiful Girls' High School,
which was her last gift to the Chinese
of this province. The place was filled
by some 400 persons, who listened
with hushed reverence to the tributes
paid to her memory by the speakers,
native and foreign, who gave short
addresses at intervals during the serv-
ice. Bishop Moule and the Rev. C.
J. F. Symons officiated at the grave-
side, where, notwithstanding its long
distance from the city, a large assem-
bly of people had gathered to pay
their last tribute of respect to the
friend who was gone from them. On
the Sunday following the Bishop
dwelt entirely on the life of Miss
Vaughan as the text for his sermon.
Amongst some of Miss Vaughan's
translations are "A Catechism of
Christian Doctrine" and "The Peep
of Day."— [/V.-C Daily News.\

The Month.

The influence of the Reform Party
in Peking is said to be now paramount.
In spite of minor differences it is re-
ported that Yuan Shih-kai and Chang
Chih-tung are working together for
the great object of Reform. Some
important changes have occurred or
are in prospect among the high offi-
cials in Peking. Tien Liang is report-
ed to have resigned the Ministry of
"War, Yuan Shih-kai to have taken
that portfolio, and Tang Shao-yi is
named as Yuan's successor in the Wai-
wupu. Prince Ching desires to resign
the presidency of the Grand Council
and names Prince Chun as his suc-
cessor. The Empress Dowager will
not permit the resignation.

Trouble is threatening the peaceful
relationship hitherto nominally exist-
ing between Japan and China. At-
tempts are being made by Japan to
bring pressure to bear upon China
and to increase the exploitation of
this country's resources. A good
deal of irritation is felt and has been
expressed in Japan against Great
Britain on account of the refusal of
that country to aid Japan in her
design upon Korea and Manchuria.
The claim made by Japan to rights in
Chientao as a part of Korea is stoutly
contested by the Chinese and the
landing of Japanese troops in that
island ' to protect her Korean sub-
jects ' is the subject of diplomatic dis-
cussion in Peking. At the New Year
an extensive code of new regulations
for the government of Korea were pro-
mulgated. These regulations covered
home affairs, finance, justice, edu-
cation and agriculture. Financial
troubles connected with the difficulty
experienced in providing for next
year's budget brought about a parlia-
mentary crisis in Japan and several
important members of the Cabinet re-
signed office. In spite of a record
year in the returns relating to foreign
business done with Japan the financial
outlook is serious and the govern-
ment is experiencing great difficulty
in securing the money needed for the
nationalization of the railways. Quiet
is being restored in Korea ; an attempt
to provoke feeling against American
interests through dissatisfaction with
the Seoul tramways failed ; Korean
brigands are reported having gone
into winter quarters. The Japanese
are planning a new town of immense
proportion a few miles to the west of
Mukden.

19081

Missionary News

115

The racial q^icstion lias been raised
in an acute form in South Africa.
New registration hiws are being rig-
idly enforced against Orientals, and
Indian a>id Chinese residents in the
Transvaal are being forced to have their
finger prints taken. This they resent
as stamping them with a criminal taint.
The attention of the Chinese govern-
uient is being drawn to the treatment
offered to Chinese, and the repatriation
movement against both Indian and
Chinese is causing trouble. No de-
crease is reported on the number of
Japanese inmiigrantsto San Francisco,
•where local feeling against the Japan-
ese as undesirable citizens still runs
high. Mr. Lemieux, the special com-
missioner from Canada to Japan,
reported on his return to Ottawa that
a friendly agreement had been made
with Jap'an by which all danger in
regard to future Japanese immigration
had been eliminated. The immigra-
tion question is still under discussion
between the United States and Japan.
Baron Takahira. formerly Ambassador
to Rome, is the new Ambassador to
Washington, vice Viscount Aoki.
The British government refuses to
alter the Hongkong Ordinance, where-
by vessels sailing under the British
iiag are forbidden to carry emigrant
Chinese coolies to Panama.

Railway development is reported
from the South of China. The Sun-
ning railwa\', designed, built and man-
aged entirely by Chinese, has been
formally opened. Reports as to its
working are contradictory. An agree-
ment has been signed by the VVaiwupu
with an Anglo-German Syndicate for
the building of the railway from
Chinkiang to Tientsin. The terms
of the agreement are more favourable
to Chinese interests than any she has
yet made, and the sovereign rights
of China are fully recognized and
guaranteed. Frequent discussions have
been held in Peking with the repre-
sentatives of the Chekiang and Kiang-
su provinces in regard to the Soochow-
Ningpo railway. Yuan Shih-kai,
Shen Kung-pao, Na Tung and others
have taken part. Two women agita-
tors are in Peking to protest on be-
half of the Chekiang province against
the ratification of the loan. The high
officials have refused to see them.
The negotiations were passed into the
hands of Wang Tah-hsuh, Chao Erh-
sen and Hu Wei-ti with instructions
to make what terms they could with
the Anglo-Chinese Corporation. It has
been agreed that the money for the

building of the line shall be loaned
to the Chekiang autliorities by the
Yuch'uanjMi and borrowed by them
from the Anglo-Chinese Corporation.
The full terms of the final agreement
are not yet known.

The Imperial government has in-
structed viceroys and govertiors of
provinces to adopt the regulations of
the local .self-government Council of
Tientsin for use in their jurisdictions.
Prince Clung and H. K. Yuan are
meeting frequently to confer upon
the starting of local self-government
in the provinces as a first step towards
a parliamentary system. The Acting
Governor of Shantung has issued a
proclamation forbidding the students
of that province to form societies and
hold meetings of a revolutionary
character and also prohibiting them
from interfering in matters of a
political nature. The Minister of
Education has suggested that in future
any student found interfering in ques-
tions which concern the government
shall be severely punished. The Em-
press-Dowager put this memorial
aside. The Waiwupu has drawn the
attention of the Throne to the fact
that the Governor of Chekiang per-
mitted meetings to be held protesting
against the action of the Imperial
government. The departure of Sir
Robert Hart from Peking has again
been postponed. A Customs school
for Chinese is to be started in Peking,
with an Englishman as headmaster
to train young Chinese for some of
the higher posts in the Imperial Cus-
toms service. A select body of young
Chinese is being sent to the Japanese
government postal school in Tokyo
for instruction in postal matters.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has
requested viceroys and governors of
provinces to find out the number of
churches and missionaries within their
jurisdiction. T. E. Yuan Shih-kai and
Chang Chih-tung are reported to have
given strong support to the proposal
to allow civil minor officials to hold
office in their native provinces. H. E.
Tuan Fang has protested in a memo-
rial to the Throne against the presence
of foreign vessels in the inland waters
of the riverine provinces beyond treaty
port limits. The patrol of the West
River by the British gunboats has
led the merchants of Canton to meet
and discuss the possibility of purchas-
ing a fleet of specially equipped police
launches for the suppression of piracy
iu the Canton delta.

116

The Chinese Recorder

February 1908

Tnsur<yent tnoTis and revolutionaries
have been giving trouble to the author-
ities in Kianj{si, Yunnan and Che-
kiang. Some of tbe revolutionaries
from the first two provinces, after
considerable fighting, fled into Indo-
Chinese territory and were there cap-
tured and imprisoned by the French
authorities. An Italian engineer was
attacked by a party of insurgents
in Yunnan, robbed and murdered.
In the northern part of the Che-
kiaiig province mob riots have broken
out in several places and large bodies
of marauding robbers have attacked
and pillaged Chapoo, Hai-yen, Hsia-
sliih, Tnng-hsiang and Kah-shing.
Troops were ordered to proceed from
the North, by rail vifl. riankow, to
the scene of trouble, but the local

forces proving sufficient the order
was withdrawn. The governor of the
province has been ordered to indem-
nify the foreigners for losses sustained.
An attempt has been made in Shang-
hai to revive the boycott as an anti-
foreign weapon. Circulars were issued
by. the proprietor of a local Chinese
bank urging a boycott of the notes
of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank.
He was promptly arrested and a
proclamation issued by the Shanghai
Taotai forbidding any similar action.
A gang of armed robbers held up four
steaui launch trains plying between
Shanghai and Hangchow and robbed
launches and passengers. One launch,
which refused to stop, was fusilladed
by the robbers and three passengers
were killed and seven wounded.

Missionary Journal.

MARRIAGES.

At Pao-ning, Mr. E. J. Mann to Miss

M. E. Mann, both C. I. M.
At Yunnan-fu, December 26th, Mr. I.

Page to Miss I. Ross, both C. I. M.
At Shanghai, January 3rd, Mr. J. A.

Beuthi. to Miss K. Kahi,hokkr,

both C. I. M.

DEATHS.

At Chao-chow-foo, December 28th,
Miss Catherine Maria Ricketts,
aged sixty-five, E. P. M.

At Suchien, North Kiangsu, January
5th, Eben Dixon, infant son of
Rev. and Mrs. Wm. F. Junkin.

At Hangchow, January Sth, 1908, Miss
Mary Vaughan, C. M. S.

ARRIVALS.

December 26th, Mr. O. Hollen-
weger, C. I. M.

December 31st, Miss E. M. Garret-
SON (ret.). Miss R. P. Ward, both
A. B. C. F. M.

January 6th, Mr. F. Day and Mr.
C. G. MeCoRMiCK, Anglican Mission ;
Dr. and Mrs. O. F. Hills, A. P. M.,
Chefoo.

January I2th, Miss M. R. Hadden,
C. of S. M.

January i8th. Rev. and Mrs. R. F.
Fitch and three children, A. P. M.
(ret.).

January 19th, Miss E. R. Dietrrle,
Ind. (ret.), Dr. and Mrs. KELLER,
Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Lindsay and
Mrs. R. Gillies, all C. I. M.

DEPARTURES.

December 28th, Mr. and Mrs. H. E.
FouCAR and two children, C. I. M.,
for England ; Mr. and Mrs. J. H.
Edgar and child and Miss M. A.
Reid, C. I. M., for Australasia.

January loth. Misses P. A. Barclay
and G. M. BlakELEY, C. I. M., for
England.

January 12th, Dr. and Mrs. F.
Ohlinger and child, M. E. M. , for
U. S. A.

January i8th, Dr. B. CORLIES, A. B.
M. U., forU. S. A.

NESTORIAN TABI,ET (See page 127).

THE CHINESE RECORDER

AND MISSIONARY JOURNAL

Published Monthly by the American Presbyterian Mission Press,
18 Peking Road, Shanghai, China

Editorial Board.

Editor-in-chief : Rev. G. F. FiTCH, d.d.

Associate Editors: Rev. W. N. Bitton and Rev. D. W. Lyon.

Rev. E. W. Burt. Rev. J. C. Gibsok, d.d. Mr. G. McIntosh.

Rt. Rev. Bishop Cassklls. ,, W. T. Hobart, d.d. Rev. G. F. Mosher.

Rev. A. FosTHR. ,, D. E. Hostb. Prof. Lacey Sites.

„ J. C. Garritt, d.d. ,, D. MacGillivray. Rev. A. H. Smith, d.d.

VOL. XXXIX MARCH, 1908 NO. 3

Editorial

We believe that a good deal of interest will be shown at
this time in the records of the progress of the opium move-
ment which we are able to present in this
tCbcProoreeBOftbe^^^^^^ Those whose hopes were unduly

raised by the eagerness with which tney saw
very many young and patriotic Chinese fling themselves into
the movement are certain to be somewhat disappointed with the
results here set forth. Yet it will not do to let the evidence of
much slackness on the part of some officials blind us to the
realization of how much progress is here recorded. All that has
been done is the accomplishment of one year of official effort,
and this in a land where it is something in the nature of
a miracle for the average official to accomplish anything in the
way of reform at all. It has to be remembered that the official
closing of the opium dens has meant a dead loss to the official
pocket, and he who steals that purse does Jiot steal trash. So
that all that is accomplished in the way of opium reform until
such time as the financial basis of China's revenues is thoroughly
overhauled, comes only at the cost of sacrifice. So far, China,
as a nation, has lost next to nothing on the reform ; the officials
who have in such large numbers obeyed the anti-opium edict
have lost much. Let the fact that so many have come well out
of the test be set down to their credit. They have done what
no official in a well-governed country is ever asked to attempt,
namely, pay for a reform they are instructed to undertake.

118 The Chinese Recorder [March

In the perusal of the report referred to above certain almost
fatal weaknesses of China's administrative system are again
evident. Moving from coast westward, it appears
De wbo -Runs ^^^^ ^^^ farther inland the enquiry runs the
correspondingly less satisfactory are the results.
Devolution has in this Empire been carried to the point of
chaos. Peking may have its Edicts posted in Wuchang and
Chentu, but its power to enforce them seems to depend on the
willingness and energy of the Viceroy and on little else. So
long as this remains the case no reform, unless carried by the
enthusiasm of the people, can be lastingly effective. Either the
central power must be augmented or the local power decreased.
And the financial confusion of the moment is a matter that
must soon give way to the many projects of reform that are
inevitable to this Empire. It may be suggested to all merchants
interested in China that should the British government force
China to keep her agreement on the opium question, a develop-
ment of China's internal resources, mines and railways, is the
only method by which she can meet the financial obligations in-
volved in that proposed reform. The pressure of the anti-
opium movement must, if maintained, result in that large scheme
of internal development for which Western capital and Western
brains may do much.

* * *

On the 20th March the ratepayers of Shanghai will be
called upon to decide the question of the continued licensing

or the closing of public opium houses in the
©plum xfcenses. Settlement. That the British government is

expecting the Shanghai authorities to follow
the lead given by the Chinese Officials in the district seems
quite certain, and the Chinese consider the Municipal Council
bound by a conditional promise given in January, 1907, to close
all licensed houses under their jurisdiction. We understand
that certain administrative difficulties have to be overcome
before the Municipal Council see their way to definitely recom-
mending this step to the ratepayers, but it is sincerely to be
hoped that no such difficulties will be allowed to stand in the
way of the honourable fulfillment of the conditional pledge
given a year ago. The prestige of the foreigner in China will
lose or gain much by the action of the ratepayers at the forth-
coming meeting. Should a refusal to adequately co-operate
in the work of reform result, the good name of the foreign

1908J Editorial tl9

communities in this Empire will receive a severe blow. We
wish it could have been possible for the representatives of the
commerce of Christendom in China to have led the Chinese
authorities in this reform rather than to have set up, as seems now
to be the case, the action of Chinese officialdom as its standard
of right in the anti-opium crusade. That very many of the
ratepayers in Shanghai would gladly see the abolition of opium-
licensing in this place we know full well, and we are sure that
all our readers will join definitely in prayer to God that this
reform may be effected at the forthcoming meeting.

* * *
Correlated in interest with the Opium Question in China

is the fact that on March first begins the period of total sup-
pression by the United States Government of the
},.,,, , use of opium in any form, except for medicine,

in the Philippine Islands. Three years have
been given the people there to get rid of the opium habit and
now they must do without the drug, willing or unwilling. We
trust this action of the United States will serve to stiffen China's
backbone in her present crusade, as well as be an example to
the other nations of the earth.

* * *

A RECENT missionary visitor to Japan speaks with the

deepest interest of the attitude of the best minds in the country

towards the religious problem. He instances

•f ,f . ^ . .* the fact that in the remarkable Waseda Uni-
IRclfeious Spirit. .. -MAI rjjj 'A u

versity in Tokyo, founded and carried on by

Count Okuma, there has been established a Chair of Comparative

Religion, the occupant of that Chair being a distinguished

Christian preacher. At the Imperial University of Tokyo

there has also been established a similar lectureship, and in this

instance, the Professor, while not an acknowledged Christian,

is credited with being one. The spirit of fair enquiry is one

which the Christian faith above all others delights to court.

Knowing herself to be the revelation of the Spirit of Truth she

is assured that such enquiry can rob her of nothing essential to

her real life, the life of God with and in man ; and she knows

that when placed in comparative relation with the ethnic faiths

of the world all must acknowledge the uniqueness and truth of

her Gospel. ' Neither is there salvation in any other. ' This

spirit of religious enquiry in Japan is of considerable importance

in China in view of the hold that Japan has upon the educa-

120 The Chinese Recorder [March

tional curriculum of this nation. It is perhaps worth asking the
question at this point : If in the course of the next few years
the government universities of China seek for men to fill such,
lectureships, has the Christian Church in China any good pros-
pect of oflfering an adequate supply of adequately educated men ?
* * *

We are glad to be able to draw the attention of our readers
to a new study of an old subject in the article by Mr. Walsh
on Nestorianism. The rise and fall of religious
enterprises in this empire are a most fascinating
as well as useful study, and it must be a matter
for regret that there is now less attention being given to the
study of this side of missionary history than was the case in a
previous generation. On this account, therefore, hoping that
missionary research will receive an impetus thereby, we are
thankful for this contribution. We believe that the science of
Christian missions in China to-day would be immensely benefitted
by an impartial study of the early experiences of the Roman
Catholic missions to Peking, undertaken, not in a spirit of parti-
sanship, but with the definite idea of gaining whatever lessons
that history holds, bearing upon the needs and problems of our
work to-day. Is it not also possible for some among our number
to take up the study of the first centuries of Buddhism in China
from this point of view for the self-same end ? Much has been
done by the missionary students of the past to record the facts of
the external development of such enterprises, we desire to have
them studied afresh, not simply as facts of history, but distinct-
ively missionary propaganda.

* * *

In line with the discussion in our last issue regarding the
apolegetic for China, a response to an enquiry from one of the
members of the Editorial Board of the Recorder
^%'^t'x^ has been received from Dr. Charles Cuthbert Hall,
of New York. His extensive study of the oriental
religious situation, coupled with his attempts toward providing a
Christian apology adapted to India and Japan, give him a right
to be heard. He has summarized in three simple but weighty
paragraphs (see page 157) the results of the thought and experi-
ence of many years. In placing initial emphasis on an attitude of
sympathy towards those whose faith difi"ers from ours, he strikes
the keynote of our only effective approach to the religious
life of those we would help, be they of the East or of the West.

1908] Editorial 121

To appreciate the good in other religions does not imply,

however, a corresponding depreciation of the supreme and

essentially unique position of Christianity,
SBmpatbi2, but not ^, ,, ,. ,, , ., ,,

' , The more sympathetically and thoroughly

we study the religions oi China, the more

we must realize their utter inadequacy and the more we are

driven back to Jesus Christ as the only sufficient revelation of

God and Saviour of men. But such an investigation need not

separate us from our brother men ; whatever glimmerings of

light they possess have come to them through the medium of

these religions. On the contrary our study should supply us

with many fresh points of contact with them and enable us the

sooner to lead them into the full sunshine of Christ's presence

and love. Men are not won by ridicule. Denunciation may

do occasionally for the willful hypocrite, but it is uusuited to

the ignorant or sincere. Sympathy, that quality which

enables one to put oneself in the other man's place, will always

draw. But sympathy implies no compromise of truth ; it must,

in fact, be loyal to it, else it is not true sympathy. Love need

not, and must not, part company with the truth.

* * :{:

This same thought underlies much of the thinking of Mr.
Bernard Lucas, who under the caption of "The Empire of

Christ," has written a book of more than
or . ^ ^ ordinary interest to the missionary. While

we cannot assume any responsibility lor the
author's creed or conclusions, we commend to our readers a
perusal of the review which will be found elsewhere in this
issue (see page 162). Loyalty to the truth demands an attitude
ot open-mindedness. Even the exaggerated statements of the
enthusiast are ofttimes needed to help men see the other side of
a half-known truth.

* * *

In the remarkable meeting held in Peking recently, an

account of which appears in our Missionary News columns, we

_ get an idea of the Chinese view-point in regard

„, , ^ to the differences which distinguish the various

Wlew*pcfnt. . . c ■ ' ■ ■ r^x,- A 11

societies of missionaries in China and see clearly

that some of the things which have seemed important to us seem

very unimportant to them. Our correspondent adds, "It

certainly proves, what I have long believed, that our Western.

122 The Chinese Recorder [i^izxch

diflfereuces are repugnant to the Chinese, and even those most
thoroughly steeped in local and doctrinal prejudices are free
from the narrowness of many Westerners. The meeting, I
think, will mark an era in the Christian development of
Peking."

He also adds in reference to another topic, which is not
so encouraging, " Peking is very quiet at present. The
Yamens are in process of readjustment, but it is doubtless true
that the new offices have as much, if not more, corruption in
them than the old. The great sins of bribery and polygamy
have not been touched upon in any serious way, (one of Pe-
king's great men) has twenty-six children, and 's brother

bought his fourth concubine the other day. The foreign

educated men, like and have their harems full." Which

last proves, if anything, that a foreign education is not sufficient
for the regeneration of the Chinese.

In our Missionary News department we quote from an

address read before the Foreign Mission Boards' Conference

of the United States and Canada. Points

;rbeirn&epenDenceof .^ ^^-^^ ^^^^^ questions that are of

supreme importance to the foreign mission-
ary who is doing his part in the upbuilding of a native
church. The discussion which followed this address turned
largely upon the conditions of missionary church life in Japan,
but it is becoming evident that this will be a vital question
with the Chinese churches before very long and missionaries
and Mission Boards concerned with work in this laud will
be wise to consider the history and conditions of the whole
subject. The most striking thing about the discussion which
this paper introduced was the unanimity with which those who
knew the conditions of work in Japan assumed that the time
had come for Mission Boards, as such, to cease from the active
control of the churches founded under their auspices and to
take up the position of helpers of the work of the autonomous
Japanese Christian churches. The missionary was to work in
co-operation with these churches, not as representative of their
Boards but as a missionary and nothing more. The history of
the development and position of the missionary church of
Japan is full of instruction for China and worthy of serious
attention.

1908J Editorial 123

An instance of too hasty generalization from insufficient

data is afforded by one of the visiting Secretaries of Foreign

Missions, whose observations, he said, led him
Ibast^ ©enera* ^ i j .1 . .1 r^x ■ V^i 1 \

to conclude that the Chniese Church at present

Itsatton. ^^g growing almost wholly from what may be

called "natural increase," that is, by the children of the first
converts. There ought to be this "natural increase,'* it is
true, but he thought we must also grow by inroads on the
masses of the heathen, or, aggressive evangelism. We are
pleased to see that he promised to make further investigations
when greater time was at his disposal. But we should think
that a reference to the statistics giving the rate of increase
during the last decade, and especially the history of mission
work in some parts of China, would have convinced him that
it would be impossible to account for the increase of native
Christians by saying that they were the children of former
converts. In many places the increase has been an hundred
fold more from the masses outside the church than from the
children of the Christians.

In this connection it is interesting to note the report given
by one of the native pastors in the recent session of the Wu-
flati.e Paetcfs "^''S . Synod in Shanghai in reply to the
question "Why membership to the church
weasone. ^^^ increased from among the Christian ad-

herents and not from the purely heathen?" The reply, as
translated, is as follows: —

I St. This is not true in all cases. In Shantung, Chihh, Kwang-
si many come into the church who have not been formerly con-
nected with Christians. At the ports the preachers are too much
burdened ; there are too many functions, funerals, marriages and
meetings of all kinds which interfere with direct preaching for
eflScient work.

2nd. Christians are employed by outsiders ; their time is not
their own, so that they cannot go out ad libiium to preach,

3rd. At the ports the wealthy, learned and refined look with
contempt upon the Christians. The poor are too busy to listen, and
although there are many chapels opened the employed cannot
come in for want of time.

4th. The average ability of the Chinese preacher is below that
of the heathen scholar, and his walk and conversation does not
always commend the Gospel.

5th. At the ports the various daily newspapers distract the
attention of the outsiders. The unjust action of foreign ofiicials
towards native officials goes against the Truth

124 The Chinese Recorder [March

6th. The books of the New Learning, translated by intelligent
anti-Christian people, oppose Christianity and exalt materialistic
philosophy.

yth. The preachers are too few.

* * *

In another department of this issne reference is made to
the reconstruction of the missionary method of the Church in
the East ; and to the fact that the missionary
^ motive abides the same under the newer as

/ftovement ^^"^^er the older thought. It is an interesting
feature of the Laymen's Missionary Movement
that the constraining power of the abiding love which impels
to the seeking and saving of the lost, is abundantly manifest
in inception of ideas and execution of plans. Whilst the pres-
ence of so many laymen at the Centenary Conference impressed
those present with the reality of the movement, it was, unfor-
tunately, not possible to afford them a sufficient opportunity to
enable them to give an adequate idea of the far-reaching and
practical nature of the plans which their consecration and fervor,
combined with their clear-headed business qualities, had led
them to devise. They mean to make the evangelisation of the
world not their pastime but their business.
* * *

An address delivered recently in Shanghai by the Hon.
Joshua Levering was so calculated to strengthen the faith and

enlarge the hopes of those who heard it, that we
Christian o i > ^

„ , wish it had been possible for many missionary

StewarOBbip. , . , i i •. -r .1 . •

gatherings to have heard it. In the account given

of the Laymen's Missionary Movement, from seemingly in-
significant beginnings, some of the more important points
emphasized ought to be noted for our thoughtful consideration.
These were : frank and humble acknowledgment of dereliction
of duty ; the vision of what ought to be done ; the personal
relation to our Lord's commission; and the prompt shouldering
of work which had been left too much to Boards and their
officials, and to women and children. It will be a great
stimulus to the work if our native brethren realize something
more of the obligations of Christian stewardship.

We understand that a special feature of the report to be
issued at the end of the year will be the results of the personal
investigations of slanders, misrepresentations, and untruths with
regard to missionaries and their work.

Nestorius and the Nestorian Mission in China

BY REV. W. S. PACKENHAM WALSH, B.A., FOOCHOW

I. Synopsis of Introductory Lecture

NESTORIUS, Bishop of Constantinople (428-431 A.D.),
was born in Syria, educated in Antioch under John
Chrysostum and Theodore of Mopsuestia. School-fellow
of Theodoret (Bishop of Cyrus) and John (Bishop of Antioch).
Was ordained presbyter in Antioch. "He was an honest man, of
great eloquence, monastic piety, and with the spirit of a zealot
for orthodoxy, but impetuous, vain, imprudent, and wanting
in sound practical judgment." (Sacrates). As Bishop he
persecuted the sects systematically; "though humanity may
drop a tear on the fate of Nestorius, yet justice must observe
that he suffered the persecution he had approved and inflicted"
(Gibbon).

Controversy began around the use of the term ^eotokot,
'Mother of God' for the Virgin ]\Iary. In the church at this
time some were found using this term, others avOpioTroroKO'^,
Mother of Man ; while Nestorius supported the use of the middle
term xp'ora-s-. Mother of Christ. This controversy brought into
conflict the opposing theological schools of Constantinople and
Alexandria and made the notorious Cyril of Alexandria the
enemy of Nestorius. Cyril charged Nestorius with dividing the
person of Christ, and Nestorius charged Cyril with confounding
the natures of Christ. A general Council was called to settle the
question at Ephesus in 431 A.D. The decision of this partisan
Council Nestorius refused to accept. The Emperor's Commis-
sioner also declared the sentence invalid. The persistency of
Cyril at length prevailed and Nestorius was anathematized.
An attempt made in 435 by his friends in Constantinople to restore
him to his see resulted in the proscription of Nestorius' person,
the condemnation of his writings and his banishment to Arabia.
This was done without trial. In the deserts he endured severe
hardships, but though his body was broken his spirit re-
mained 'independent and erect.' He wrote an account of his
misfortunes, which he entitled ' The Tragedy. ' He died about
440 A. D. and was buried in a city of upper Egypt, named
Panopolis or Akmin.

126 The Chinese Recorder [March

II. The Nestorian Mission in China

The death of Nestorius will be regarded by some as an
ecclesiastical murder, but to his enemies it appeared an act
of merit, while among his friends it was glorified as a martyr-
dom, and they now had the consolation of reaping the benefits,
as before they had endured the adversities of persecution.

Edicts seemed powerless to crush his followers, who
were generally known as Nestorians, though they spoke of
themselves as Caldaean or Assyrian Christians.

They spread his name and his teaching throughout the
nearer East, everywhere planting churches, in which the
death of Nestorius was condemned and the Ephesine decrees
rejected.

The Persians in particular were averse to the action of
Cyril, and maintained that it was Cyril himself who was
the real heretic.

The famous school of Edessa took up the theological
position of Nestorius in his opposition to the term ''Mother
of God," and Ibas, bishop of Edessa, was one of the strongest
defenders of Nestorianism among the orientals.

The school of Edessa flourished from 431-489 A.D. , when
it was dissolved by the Emperor Zeno, who had invaded the
East, but the dissolution of the school was only the means
of sending forth Nestorian teachers into other places, and
also of strengthening a new school founded by Barsumas,
bishop of Nisibis, which now became the intellectual centre
of the Persian church.

In 483 A.D at the synod of Beth Lapat, the old Christian
church of Persia completely broke with the Roman communion
and adopted the Nestorian confession.

The tension and antagonism between the two countries
had no doubt much to do with the step thus taken, for it is
difficult to believe that the Persian monarch was capable of
balancing the niceties of the theological position.

Nestorius, no doubt, appealed to him more as a man
cruelly treated and condemned by his enemy the Emperor
of Rome, and we may safely conclude that Nestorianism was
adopted in the Persian empire, partly at least from political
reasons.

Having broken with Rome, the Persian church set itself
to frame its own ritual and order. The law of celibacy, so

1908] Nestorius and the Nestorian Mission in China 127

forcibly recommended to the Greeks and Latins, was set aside,
a more liberal spirit of education was introduced into the
schools, houses of charity were endowed for the education
of orphans and foundlings, the austerity of the cloister was
relaxed, and *' to this standard of natural and religious
freedom, myriads of fugitives resorted from all the provinces
of the Eastern Empire." *

The Nestorian communion was also greatly strengthened
by the religious intolerance of the Roman Emperors Justin
and Justinian (518-565 A.D. ) Both these Emperors published
constant edicts against all Christians who did not agree with
the tenets then held in Rome, and also against all Jews,
Samaritans and Pagans, who were forbidden to practise their
religions and were excluded from all civil and military oflfices.

Justinian went even further, and in 529 A.D. issued an
edict for the closing of the Pagan schools at Athens, allowing all
non-Christians three months to choose between Roman Chris-
tianity or banishment.

The inevitable result took place, and Justinian lost some
of the best and most industrious of his subjects, who transported
into Persia the arts, both of peace and war.

Thus the Nestorian communion gathered strength and
was soon in a position to undertake missionary work among
the nations of the distant East, including China the subject of
our present study.

The story of the Nestorian mission in China had been well-
nigh forgotten or discredited, when in the year 1625 A.D.
some Chinese workmen, engaged in digging the foundation for
a house outside the walls of Si-an-fu, the capital of the province
of Shensi, found buried in the earth a large monumental
stone. It proved to be a dark-coloured marble tablet, ten feet
high and five broad, bearing on one side an inscription in
ancient Chinese and Syriac.

The discovery excited much attention among the literati
of China, and the stone was visited by crowds of people,
among others by some Jesuit missionaries, by whom it was
translated.

The Emperor sent for a copy of the inscription and gave
orders that the stone should be placed in a celebrated pagoda
near Si-an-fu, where doubtless it is still preserved.

♦Gibbon.

128 The Qiinese Recorder [March

This tablet gives an account of the Nestorian mission
from the year 636 A.D., when the missionaries entered China,
up to the year 781 A.D., when the stone was erected, and in
order to account for the wonderful reception given to the
missionaries, and the success which attended their labours, it
will be necessary to bear in mind the state of China at that
period, and also the fact that the then King of Persia was an
ally of the Tang Dynasty, under which the Nestorians began
their work.

The T'ang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.) has been called the
Augustan age of Chinese literature, and under its sway China
was governed by some of the best and most liberal-minded
rulers that the Celestial Empire has ever known.

Kao Tsu (618-627 A. D.), its first Emperor, established the
triennial examinations and suppressed the Buddhist monasteries
and nunneries throughout the Empire, sending back to their
homes and proper vocation some 100,000 bonzes and nuns.

It was Kao Tsu who established the capital of the country
at Si-an-fu, in which city the Nestorian tablet was discovered
just a thousand years later.

He also issued an edict giving liberty of conscience to his
subjects to worship and erect altars to heaven and earth, a
privilege which had hitherto been the prerogative of the ruler
of the nation.

But the name of Kao Tsu is eclipsed by that of his son, the
famous Emperor T'ai Tsung (627-650 A.D.), and fortunate
indeed were the Christian missionaries to reach China while he
was on the throne.

The Emperor T'ai Tsung and his wife, the Empress
Ch'ang Sun, stand out not only among the rulers of China, but
may be ranked as two of the best, wisest and most talented
sovereigns that the world has ever seen.

Under T'ai Tsung' s personal supervision the Chinese army
reached a high state of excellence, and it is said that he made
his kingdom so safe that doors could be left open all night.
But though the Emperor early showed his skill on the field
of battle, he did not love war, and as soon as he had put down
his enemies, he turned his attention towards the education and
enlightenment of his people. As a preliminary ste| . he dismissed
three thousand of the ladies of the palace to their homes.
Then he built an immense library at the capital, in which
he collected over aoo,ooo volumes, and not only spent much

1908] Nestorius and the Nestorian Mission in China 129

time in reading and study himself, but also insisted on all
mandarins in the capital cultivating their minds also. The
library, with its reception and reading rooms, became a centre
of intellectual industry, and here were frequently discussed the
great problems of religion.

The Emperor himself was a strong Confucianist, and had
no sympathy with either the Buddhism or Taoism, then as now
so widely spread among the people. "I have observed," he
said, " that those rulers who have been remarkable for their
attachment to either Taoism or Buddhism, have been the cause
of the destruction of their dynasties."

Once when pressed by his mandarins to ascend a sacred
mountain to render thanks to heaven for the many blessings of
his reign, he replied, " Shih Wang, of the Ts'in Dynasty, acted
as you wish me to do, and before long his Dynasty passed away.
Wen Ti, of the Han Dynasty, never did so, and he transmitted
his throne to his descendants. Which of these two has posterity
decided to be the superior of the other. You need not ascend a
hill to worship heaven."

His abhorrence of superstition, and his desire to follow the
dictates of his conscience, was strengthened by his wife, the
Empress, of whom it is said that "she was a lady not only
exceedingly talented, but she was also modest and refined. She
had great power over her husband, who loved her dearly. She
refused to meddle in state affairs, but her silent influence was
immense."

One wonders what this noble woman thought of the
strange new teaching which had just reached her court the year
before her death, but her dying words proclaim a freedom from
superstition and a confidence in God, which might be an
example even to the Christian world.

To her son, who in his distress had gone with special
offerings to the idols to pray for a prolongation of his mother's
life, she said: "Our life is in the hands of heaven, and when
it decides that we shall die, there is no mortal power that can
prolong it. As for the Taoist and Buddhist faiths, they are
heresies, and have been the cause of injury both to the people
and the state. Your father has a great aversion to them, and
therefore you must not displease him by appealing to them on
my behalf." Then turning to her husband she said : " I have
not been of much use whilst I lived, and therefore I don't want
anyone to be made to suffer by my death. Don't make a

430 The Chinese Recorder [March

magnificent grave for me, and then the people will not hate
me, because they have not been called to make any sacrifices
in building such a one. I don't wish you to put jewels and
precious stones in my coffin. All that I want is a tile to be
put under my head for a pillow and my hair fastened up with
some wooden pins. Associate with the good and shun the
company of the evil. Don't listen to unworthy men, and
neither hunt nor build magnificent palaces. If you promise
me these things, then shall I die happy."

It was to a court ruled by such an enlightened Emperor
and Empress that there arrived one day in the year 636 A.D.,
tired and travel worn with their long journey from Persia, a
little band of Christian missionaries under the leadership of
Olopen, "a man of high virtue." "Directed by the blue
clouds, he bore the Scriptures of the true doctrine," so runs
the Nestorian inscription, "he observed the rules of the
winds and traversed difficult and perilous countries. "

They were kindly received, these Persian strangers. "The
Emperor ordered Fang-hi- wen-ling, first minister of the Empire,
to go with a great train of attendants to the Western suburbs
to meet the stranger and bring him to the palace. He had the
Holy Scriptures translated in the Imperial library. The court
listened to the doctrine, meditated on it profoundly and under-
stood the great unity of truth."

One can imagine the conferences and discussions which
must have taken place day by day in the great library of T'ai
Tsung and the earnest attention the Emperor would pay to such
a theme as the immortality of the soul made manifest in the
resurrection of Christ, passing as he was through the waves of
deepest sorrow.

We are told that on the death of the Empress he was
inconsolable, and so that he might coritinually look at her
grave in the distant hills, he had a tower built near his palace
from which it could be seen.

For three years Olopen remained at the court teaching,
preaching, discussing and translating.

Among his hearers must have been both princes and nobles,
for the Emperor's university had become so famous that kings
of Corea and other countries sent their sons to be educated at
it, and T'ai Tsung, mindful of his dying queen's last request,
had kept up his practice of associating with him in his govern-
ment the best men in the Empire. Thus the Christian revela-

1908] Nestorius and the Nestorian Mission in China 13 1

tion was made known first among the leaders of the nation, to
the most thoughtful and intellectual men of the day, and the
fact that Christian truth appeals to the literati of China as well
as to the unlettered classes, was proved by an edict promulgated
in the year 639 A.D. in these terms : —

"The doctrine has no fixed name, the holy has no deter-
minate substance ; it institutes religions suitable to various
countries and carries men in crowds in its track. Olopen, a
man of Ta-thsin (Persia or Syria) and of a lofty virtue, bearing
Scriptures and images, has come to offer them in the Supreme
Court. After a minute examination of the spirit of this religion
it has been found to be excellent, mysterious and pacific. The
contemplation of its radical principle gives birth to perfection
and fixes the will. It is exempt from verbosity ; it considers
only good results. It is useful to men, and consequently ought
to be published under the whole extent of the heavens. I,
therefore, command the magistrates to have a Ta-thsin temple
constructed in the quarter named I-ning (Justice and Mercy)
of the imperial city, and twenty-one religious men shall be
installed therein."

This edict may not reveal the most perfect grasp of the
Christian faith, but when we consider that it was published
when England was still mainly a heathen country, and was
dictated by an Emperor not himself a Christian, in a land over-
run with Buddhism and Taoism, it must be admitted that it does
credit to the liberality and toleration of T'ai Tsung, and that it
must have issued from a sincere conviction that the Gospel as
interpreted by the Nestorians would prove beneficial in China.

What then was this teaching of Christianity, which in
spite of its errors was able to appeal so forcibly to such an
Emperor and commend itself to the Chinese in their most
enlightened era.

x\n outline of what was taught is engraven on the stone,
and runs as follows : —

"There has always been one only true Cause, essentially
the first, and without beginning, supremely intelligent and
immaterial ; essentially the last and uniting all perfections. He
placed the poles of the heavens and created all beings,
marvelously holy ; He is the source of all perfection. This
admirable Being, is He not the Triune, the true Lord without
beginning, Oloho ? * He divided the world by a cross into four

* A transliteration of the Syriac Eloha=God,

132 The Chinese Recorder [March

parts. After having decomposed the primordial air, he gave
birth to the two elements. Chaos was transformed, and then
the sun and the moon appeared. He made the snn and the
moon move to prodnce day and night. He elaborated and
perfected the ten thousand things, but in creating the first man,
he endowed him with perfect interior harmony. He enjoined
him to watch over the sea of his desires. His nature was with-
out vice and without error ; his heart, pure and simple, was
originally without disorderly appetites.

But Sa-than propagated lies and stained by his malice that
which had been pure and holy. He proclaimed, as a truth, the
equality of greatness and upset all ideas. This is why three
hundred and sixty-five sects,* lending each other a mutual
support, formed a long chain, and wove, so to speak, a net of
law. Some put the creature in the place of the Eternal, others
denied the existence of beings and destroyed the two principles.
Others instituted prayers and sacrifices to obtain good fortune ;
others proclaimed their own sanctity to deceive mankind.

The minds of men laboured and were filled with anxiety ;
aspirations towards the supreme good were trampled down; thus
perpetually floating about, they attained to nothing and all went
from bad to worsef. The darkness thickened, men lost their
sight, and for a long time they wandered without being able to
find it again.

Then our Triune God communicated His substance to the
very venerable Mi-chi-ho (Messiah) who, veiling His true
majesty, appeared in the world in the likeness of a man. The
celestial spirits manifested their joy and a Virgin brought forth
the holy child (or Saint) in Ta-thsin. The most splendid
constellations announced this happy event ; the Persians saw the
splendour and ran to pay tribute. He fulfilled what was said
of old by the twenty-four holy ones ;| he organised, by his
precepts, both families and kingdoms ; he instituted the new
religion according to the pure notion of the Trinity in Unity ;
he regulated conscience by true faith ; he signified to the world
the eight commandments, and purged humanity from its
pollutions, by opening the door to the three virtues ; be
diffused life and extinguished death ; he suspended the luminous
sun to destroy the dwelling of darkness§, and then the lies of

* i.e., the number of days in the year to denote a great multitude,
t Literally, " the boiled meat turned to roast."
t The writers of the Old Testament.

§ Probably signifies the crucifixion, avoiding too explicit mention of death
in deference to Chinese usage.

1908] Nestorius and the Nestorian Mission in China 135

demons passed away ; he directed the bark of mercy towards
the palace of light, and all creatures endowed with intelligence
have been succoured. After having consummated this act of
power, he rose at mid-day towards the Truth. Twenty-seven
books have been left. He has enlarged the springs of mercy
that men might be converted. The baptism by water and by
the spirit is a law that purifies the soul and beautifies the
exterior.

The sign of the cross unites the four quarters of the world
and restores the harmony that had been destroyed. By striking
upon a piece of wood,* we make the voice of charity and mercy
resound ; by sacrificing! towards the East, we indicate the way
of life and glory."

The simple reader may not be able to see in this inscription
anything more than a curiously worded, somewhat " Chinese-
ified" presentation of Christian truth, but under the words
"Then our Triune God communicated His substance to the
very venerable Mi-chi-ho who, veiling His true majesty,
appeared in the world in the likeness of a man," has been
detected by the vigilant, the terrible heresy for which the bishop
of Constantinople was driven from the haunts of men and
counted unfit to live by his fellow-Christians.

The inscription then goes on to give some account of the
manner of life and worship of the Nestorian missions.

"Our ministers allow their beards to grow, to show that
they are devoted to their neighbours. The tonsure that they
wear at the top of their heads indicates that they have re-
nounced worldly desires. In giving liberty to slaves, we
become a link between the powerful and the weak. We do
not accumulate riches, and we share with the poor that which
we possess. Fasting strengthens the intellectual powers,
abstinence and moderation preserve health. We worship seven
times a day, and by our prayers we aid the living and the dead.
On the seventh day we offer sacrifice, after having purified our
hearts and received absolution for our sins.|

This religion, so perfect and so excellent, is difficult to
name, but it enlightens darkness by its brilliant precepts. It
is called the Luminous Religion."

* Used in China for a church bell.

t Translated, "In evangelizing the East," by some. It may mean "By
turning towards the East."

J " Once in seven days they have divine service, in order to cleanse their
hearts and to regain their purity." (Translation by Dr. Bridgman.)

134 The Chinese Recorder [March

The difficulty of giving an exact translation of a Chinese
document is seen in the various translations made of this
Nestorian tablet. Dr. Bridgman, whose translation may be
found in Dr. Wells Williams' " Middle Kingdom," says: "Were
a hundred Chinese students employed on the document they
would probably each give a different view of the meaning in
some parts of the inscription." *

In the year 650 A. D. the great Emperor T'ai Tsung died
and was succeeded by his son Kao Tsung (650-684 A.D.). He
was a feeble Emperor and completely under the control of one
of his wives, the unprincipled Wu Hou, but still he favoured
the Christian religion, and according to the Nestorian stone,
he appointed Olopen, "guardian of the Empire and Lord of
the great Law," expressions delightfully vague, but at least
pointing to the increasing influence of the new faith. Indeed
Christianity, we are told, now spread throughout the ten
provinces into which China was then divided, "the temples
filled a hundred cities and the families were enriched with
admirable happiness."

But on the death of Kao Tsung, the dreaded Empress-
Dowager Wu Hou held the reins of government. She was
under the influence of a reprobate Buddhist bonze named Hvvai
Yi, whom she afterwards ordered to be assassinated, but under
her rule the Buddhists were allowed or encouraged to persecute
the Christians, and no doubt the work received a temporary
check, and as the next Empress poisoned her own husband and
was herself afterwards murdered, one can easily believe that
during this period the progress of Christianitv must have been
slow. However, under the rule of the celebrated Huan Tsung
(713-756 A.D.) an effort was made " to restore the fallen law
and reunite the broken ties," and the Emperor, although a
zealous idolater, gave orders "to repair the temple of felicity
and firmly raise its altar," which fact seems to tell of the
damage done to the church in the capital during the preceding
years. At the close of this reign, Si-an-fu, the capital, was
captured by rebels, but finally the Emperor Su Tsung (756-763
A.D.) drove them out, and the inscription states that "he
erected at Lingou and other towns, five in all, luminous
temples (churches). ' ' The primitive good was thus strength-
ened and felicity flourished.' '

* The translation of the Abb^ Hue has been mainly followed in this
sketch.

1908] On the Revision of the Mandarin New Testament 13 5

Tai Tsung (763-780 A.D.) seems to have had a curious
religions policy. He built a magnificent Buddhist monastery
in tlje capital, and on the fifteenth day of the seventh moon
prepared such an abundant feast for the spirits of the dead that
since that time the seventh month has remained the great
season in China for such offerings. But Tai Tsung also "at
the hour of the Nativity (Christmas) burnt celestial perfumes
in remembrance of the divine benefit and prepared imperial
feasts to honour the luminous (Christian) multitude." The
'Muminous multitude," at this time, were evidently prospering
and the tablet is loud in the praises of this magnanimous ruler,
who spiead feasts so liberally and impartially. "Let us pray
the Lord for him without blushing," runs the record. " He is
always indulgent, the friend of peace and full of mercy. He
is helpful to all, scattering his liberalities among the multitude.
Such is the true way, such is the ladder of the holy doctrine."

His minister of State, Kouo Tso, who died in 781 A. D.,
the date of the erection of the tablet, receives even greater
praise than his sovereign. He was indeed a great statesman,
according to many the most illustrious minister of the T'ang
Dynasty, and at his death the whole nation went into mourning.

Kouo Tso must have helped the cause of Christianity in
China very effectively, and his generosity is thus remembered ;
— "He restored the ancient temples and enlarged the Palace of
the Law. He raised roofs and porticoes and embellished
edifices in such a manner that they were like pheasants spread-
ing their wings to fly. He rendered perpetual service to the
Luminous Gate (the Christian religion). The religious men of
the Luminous Doctrine, clothed in their white robes, admired
this illustrious man and wished to engrave on stone the memorial
of his sublime actions.-'

(To be continued,)

On the Revision of the Mandarin New Testament

BY REV. FRANK MADELEY, M.A., SIANFU, SHENSI

BY the kindness of the British and Foreign Bible Society a
copy of the new version of the Mandarin New Testa-
ment has been sent to me, and though it has already
been favourably recommended to the notice of the missionary
body, as by Mr. Bailer, of whose long experience and thorough

136 The Chinese Recorder [March

mastery of the language the revision has had the benefit, it
has occurred to me that further testimony in its favour may
contribute towards proving its superiority over the version now
in use. Therefore, while fully recognising my inability to
deal with the diction of the new version as Mr. Bailer has
done, I yet venture to point out a number of its renderings
which in my judgment are more in accord with the meaning
of the original. If this should lead others to point out other
improvements, and thus assist in bringing this new translation
into general use, I shall feel that I have not written in vain.

Matt. iii. i6. Here the changing of ^ to ^ |p brings out
more forcibly the fact that Jesus went up straightway out of
the water, as if to make clear that though Jesus, in identification
with Israel, underwent John's baptism He was yet without sin.
And the change here and in Luke iii. 22 of ;j^ -fiJi ^ J2 to ;^ -fijl
$!t Jl gives a more accurate rendering.

Matt. iv. 17. 1^ i$ fli fl 515 lis it Jl ilS 1; ^ marks a main
division of this Gospel by showing, as the old version does not,
that there was a time when Christ began to preach the Gospel
of the Kingdom. So also, though not as clearly, the addition of
3^ in xvi. 21 helps to show that there was a time when He
began to speak plainly of His coming suflferings apart from
all similes and metaphors (cf. Matt xii. 40 ; Jno. ii. 19). And
similarly in Acts i. i the change from ^ Hi? |^ j^ B^ • . . ^ fr

n ^ Bi li 6^j 'M^o m^immmm-^ ^ ^ ^Jr mwi 6^

calls attention to the truth that the apostles only continued that
preaching of the Kingdom which Jesus began.

Matt. V. 22. While recognising that |^ ^ ^ ^ f ij and
11 ^ S" # fi^ H ^ are improvements I notice that the Buddhist
expression ^ |^ is still retained as the nearest equivalent to the
idea of Gehenna.

Matt. V. 47. The alteration of ^ ^ to 5lh ^ A is in ac-
cordance with the reading adopted by Bengel, Griesbach, Lach-
mann, Tischendorf and Tregeles, and is demanded by the prin-
ciples of parallelism.

Matt. vi. I. The alteration of 7(i p^ 1^ AM ^ M ^^^ ^^
W JIf f^> fPI 6^ # ^ ^ -^ A ® lit is an important adoption of
the true reading, as it shows this first verse to be, so to say, the
text of vi. 1-18, wherein alms-giving, prayer and fasting are
dealt with as instances of the practice of righteousness.

Matt. vii. 6. The addition of ^^ after ^, ffi shows it is the
swine that trample under foot, but there is no corresponding

1908] On the Revision of the Mandarin New Testament 137

addition of ^bJ before H Ji 2j5 to show it is the dogs that rend,
and that the verse affords an instance of chiasmus, as Bishop
Jebb observed long ago.

Matt. xii. 18,^20^ t. >i:> '^ 'B f^\ fU 3^ ^b -^ and ^ t. 1i ^

mnmm n m m for %£^]f^m':^^^m^vw^ a and ^ ^

M fr -i: 'ii ^ ^ ?t ^^ ^ respectively are important correc-
tions, showing that Christ was not speaking of the preaching of
the truth in this age, but of the future exercise of 'judgment'
— future, whatever the content of the term be held to be.

Matt. xiii. 39, 40. The alternative rendering j^ JH oflfered
here and elsewhere helps the teacher to draw the distinction
between atcov and Kotr^oT.

In XV. 26, 27 and Mk. vii. 27, 28 one wishes that the use
of the diminutive form for ' dogs ' could have been indicated,
for the exposition, as Dr. Dale and others have pointed out,
turns upon this.

Matt. XX. 28 and Mk. x. 4.5 have f^ ^ A fl-i M fH) where
the change of ^ to ^ has perhaps doctrinal significance.

Matt. xxi. 5. The alteration of Hf ^" HI ^ H II ^ — M
SI ,!|<!l to ^ ^ Bi M -^ ^ li fl^ m ^ is justified by a comparison
of the Gospels, the Greek kui having here the force of 'even.'

Matt, xxiii. 38. Through the omission of 7}^ ^ it can now
be understood that ^ your house ^ did at that very time become
desolate by Christ leaving it, never to return.

Mark xi. 13. The new version makes a slight alteration

from ^ p.m±n^7 to :^ ^ :t+: ^ ± Pi ^^ 1^ s m,

which is important, as the firstlings of figs, iHos. ix. 10) which
did not reckon as proper fruit and which any one might pluck
and eat, were all that Christ expected to find.

Mark ix. 9. The significant fact that of Christ and those
who die in faith a different expression is used to that whicli is
used of the General Resurrection (the use of which at the time
may be that which puzzled the disciples) is here provided for by
the use of ;fc«^ 5E A H fg fB-

Mark xiv. 3. The alteration to 5515 l!^ makes clear that the
intention is to give the sound of the original, which intention
was not clear before, and the addition of $1 in v. 9 makes clear
that the Gospel as enshrined in the woman's act is meant.

Mark xvi. 19. By the alteration of ^ Y 5c to i^ ^ ?^|J 5c Jl
it is made clear that heaven honoured Christ when the world
had rejected Him. The same fact is evident from the lijke
alteration in Luke ix. 51 and xxi v. 51.

138 The Chinese Recorder [March

Luke xi. 2. For the familiar j^ f^ we are given the more
literal ^ Jij, || {ff. ^'^^ ® ^ f'J? ^s also in Matt. vi. lO, consistent
with the fact that the kingdom would come with the acknowl-
edgment of the King, who was then on the spot.

Luke xxiii. 42. By the substitution of {i^; ;^ jff, ^^y ^ ^ I^
g^ for Jij 'X i^s P ^ it is made evident that the dying robber's
thought was of a coming kingdom on earth and not of a
kingdom in heaven to which His Saviour was going.

Jno. i. 17. By altering ^ to || ^ so as to make the pre-
positions the same, in accordance with the Greek, it is made
clear that it is in the verbs that the contrast lies. The law
was only g-we7i^ but grace and truth cmne.

Jno. i. 29. Though we are so used to quoting ^ ^ Jl %

&0 #. :^ f m itt: A P ^ rifj, yet \^. ff^ % J;. ^ U] #, ^ ^ *

•JS y^. lis Ip 6'^/ would seem to be a more accurate translation, as
^ -^ rather suggests the sin offering, whose benefits had only
been enjoyed by those already in covenant relation with God.

Jno. xiii. i. P^ ^ is rightly altered to the more accurate
J^ 1^ CL fKj A, but one could wish that 'before \\\^ feast of the
Passover' (Numb, xxviii. 17) had been more conspicuously
brought out, as only so can John be reconciled with the
Synoptists.

Jno. xxi. 22, 23. Here we have again a more accurate
rendering, ^ ff ^- f. ^ iij fJ^ ^ 6(1 I{# {% which brings out
the idea of tarrying so characteristic, as Bishop Westcott pointed
out, of John's Christian life.

Acts iii. 20. The use of P^ here as well as in the previous
verse brings out better than the current version the fact that
the Messiah's return depended on national repentance.

Acts xii. 2. Here by altering M ^ Ikk % ^% ^% ^ ^ to
19 JJ #x T ^'-J ^ 6^ ^ # 31t # two inaccuracies are removed
in one short verse.

Acts xxvi. 28. By the new rendering {l^ i^> ^ f^ — ||lj ^ P^"
^ f^ ^ ^ ^ M? while the old one is given as an alternative,
prominence only is given to what is now so widely regarded as
the meaning of the original. And the use of ^ "^ ^ suggests
my remarking what a great improvement is effected by the
use of this expression in Acts xi. 26. There was no reason
why Burns' s version of the Pilgrim's Progress should mon-
opolise it.

Rom. i. 16. By the omission of ^ ^ it is made plain that
the Gospel of God of verse i is meant.

1908] On the Revision of the Mandarin New Testament i39

Rom. i. i6. We have a greatly improved renderinor given
in the words ^ ^ Jt :^ '^ ^> 3L M^ M h- The righteousness
is given on the principle of faith on God's part to be received on
the principle of faith on man's part. The Epistle says nothing
about a growth of faith, ' the steps of faith' (Rom. iv. 12) being
tracks or footprints.

Rom. iv. 25. The alternative £• 0 ^ "^ ffl fj? ^ ft
^g Y offers a meaning which many believe to be that of the
original.

Rom. viii. 3. p,^ i^mmm^^^wmm^^m^

is changed to the more accurate JlllJ^^7i:g£,0{j52.4*

^ ^ IP # 6^ ?^ fc f^ T ® fP 6^ ^ ^ l^ ti 4^ 5^ T IP TKj ^.

a/napTia being given the meaning of sin-offering as so often in
the Ixx. Should not the same meaning have been retained in
Heb. ix. 28?

Rom. xii. 2. This being one of the three passages in the
N. T. where the word used of Christ's Transfiguration occurs,
it is a satisfaction to find the idea brought out by the addition

of 0 ifo ii 41: .1 % _

Rom. XV. 29. fg "a is omitted according to the true reading.

Gal. iii. 20. Seeing that there are said to be hundreds of
interpretations of this difficult verse one ought to be diffident
about expressing an opinion. This conflict of interpretations,
however, only makes the closer adherence to the original the

more valuable <& 4' f;?^ * T> :! ^ -* W -ft ^-J. ± it ^ ^ ~.
If Paul's meaning is that, whereas the legal covenant having a
mediator proved that there were two parties to it and that its
blessing was contingent upon man's fulfilment of his respon-
sibility, on the other hand, in the earlier covenant there was no
such contingency, for God made Himself alone responsible when
nature failed and Abraham slept (Gen. xv. 12), — if this is the
meaning, then the new rendering accords with it.

I Cor. XV. 20. The alteration of f^ 7" 5E A 1^ ^ fg fg fKj to
J^ ^ IS Ri T fi^ A IS B 6if :i: ^> and a similar change in v.
23, enables us to prove, as we could not before, that the Risen
Christ's presentation of Himself to the Father is the antitype of
the waving of the sheaf of firstfruits ' on the morrow after the
Sabbath.' And the change of 5g to {j^ here, in Thess. iv.
13-15, etc., enables the teacher to point out that "it was
doubtless with a view to the joyful hope of a resurrection
that the departed saints in the Old Testament as well as in

140 The Chinese Recorder [March

the New are said to fall asleep, to sleep, to sleep with their
fathers, etc."

2 Cor. iii. i8. Here the idea of reflecting the Lord's bright-
ness, as a mirror reflects the light, is better brought out by the
changes to j[f \% ^ H ^ ^ JI M ^ and in 1p] ^ i 6^ S* ^•
^ ri^. Is not Christ the Spirit meant?

Eph. i. i8 ft^ t ,^ ^ ^ 6^j ^ ti 6^ S ^ jpj ^ 1 ^ is
altered to fife ^ ig ^ pj:. 0fj ^ ^. ;f fuj ^ ^ ^ Cl^ || fi,
indicating that God's inheritance in the saints, and not theirs
in God, is meant.

Eph. i. 23. By the alteration oi n'%%'% ^ ^^ lL^'%
^ T to ^ S5 ^ W^% M ^ ^'^'% Ji. lii^e precious truth to
that of V. 18 is indicated, viz., that Christ finds His complement
in the Church.

Eph. iii. 8. Here we are given IE g # 515 \% ;? ^ Cl^ ^
^, and |g -"g, which never ought to have appeared, has dis-
appeared, leaving it open to the expositor to take g ^ either of
Christ mystical or Christ personal.

Eph. iv. 8. ^ ^ T ffc it \s altered to ^ \% 1 %^Wi
^ ^^ 6^5 aiXViokhiaiav being recognised as an instance of the use
of the abstract for the concrete.

Eph. V. 26. Mr. Bailer has already pointed out the defect
of the current version. It is now open to see in the words ^ 7jiC
^ ^ jiE an instance of the use of a figure, water, followed by
mention of the thing prefigured, the word, and the reader is not
shut up, as before, to the conclusion that the practice of water
baptism is meant.

Eph. V. 29. For f;^^ ^ f^ is given the fuller and more
exact rendering ^ f§ i^ IH '[§ ft^, enabling us to show that
there are a perfect seven of blessings, among which two are the
internal sustenance and external fostering.

Phil. i. 10. I have a partiality for the rendering f^ ^ gl)
^ '^. But it would seem to be rightly relegated to a secondary
place, while '^ ^ ^|$ H ^ ^^ -^ is given as the chief meaning
of uq TO ^oKina^eiv i»/io^ rii Sia(l)if)ovTa, for the chief meaning really
includes the secondary, as the effect the cause.

Phil. iv. 12. -^ii -IP 1 II is changed to ^ l|5 ^ T M Wk,
thus more faithfully expressing the idea of ' initiation ' in a
mystery.

Col. ii. 19. For ^ ^ .^ % # is substituted the more
forceful and expressive rendering ^ # ^^ gl^ ;if # 6^, not hold-
ing fast the Head.

1908] On the Revision of the Mandarin New Testament i4i

• I Thess. i. 14. 3 if M mf'l'^^y fi^ A is altered
consistently with the fact, explain it as we may, that never
once in Panl's Epistles are believers called disciples.

2 Thess. ii. 2. There it is no longer said that the Thessa-
lonians were not to believe any who said ^ W 6^ B -T" ^b ?£
(which is just what they and we are to believe), but that they
were not to believe any who said i 6^ 0 "T ^ ^ ill T? ^^
they were right in expecting the translation of the saints to
take place beforehand.

2 Tim. iv. I. This verse is altered so as to accord with
the R. V. , a change having important doctrinal significance.

Phileui. V. Here a valuable alternative translation is
offered, which makes it possible to point out the introversion,
according to which ' the love ' and ' the saints ' form a pair,
and 'the faith' and 'the Lord Jesus' a pair (cp. Matt. vii. 6).
Thus the incongruity caused by connecting ' the faith ' with
' the saints ' can be avoided.

Heb. i. 6. Here again is a valuable alternative H ^ ;^
-J" ?•! ift Jl ^ ^"^ connecting the worship of the angels referred
to with Christ's second coming.

Heb. ii. i. The idea of ' drifting' in the original is here
brought out by changing l^^ ig; ^ ^t it ^ to 3§ t6 ^ ff5 fit

Heb. iv. 2. Here the alteration makes clear that the
purpose of the writer is to show that ' we have been evangelised
as truly as they,' and not they have been evangelised as well as
we, for he speaks from the point of view of the Gospel contained
in Psalm xcv. (Prof. A. B. Bruce).

Heb. xii. 2. Here we are given as an alternative render-
ing i^mM'M fiM |lJ ¥a J^^^^^mm ^ recognition of the
fact that the Greek has no 'one', o^i which account many
expositors think that the meaning is that Christ is the perfect
Exemplar of faith, as contrasted with the great, but imperfect,
examples previously mentioned.

I Pet. ii. 17. By the substitution of^|f;g;jg^|f|f^

ifr^ ffl ft 6^ A for m S ifr^ mi^ fi^ A^f^m -^^ it it is
taught that Christ's preciousness accrues to believers, and not
merely that He is precious in their eyes.

I Jno. i. 7. The removal of the character tj^^ may seem a
small matter, but does it not help to show that the cleansing
spoken of does not wait upon anything we do, but is due to the
continuously applied efl5cacy of the blood of God's Son, once

142 The Chinese Recorder [March

offered ? Similarly the alteration of this character in i Jno. iii.
3 to ^ makes plainer that the hope of Christ's appearing is
itself a great purifier. And putting |p] -% instead of ij^> tfj shows
that the hope is set on Him, Christ, as its object.

Rev. i. I. Here V^ M ^ "M" ^^ Wi ^ at the very begin-
ning of the Revelation is a more literal rendering of importance,
as the words are the Divine title of the book.

Rev. i. lo. By altering ig ^ — f@ i H to ;^ ^ 0 the
original is translated instead of interpreted, which is only as it
should be, seeing that the understanding of the book so largely
depends on the meaning given to this verse.

Rev. xiii. 8. This verse now speaks of those whose names
had not been written from the foundation of the world in the
Lamb's book of life, and no longer tells us that Christ was the
Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, which is, perhaps,
an unscriptural idea.

Such examination of the new version as I have so far made,
leads me to think that the attempt to be ' distinctly literal and
faithful to the original ' has been in so small measure successful,
and, to use words of Mr. Bailer, ' will most likely lead to
greater accuracy in teaching and expounding the truth.' I can
vouch for this being the case in regard to Matthew's Gospel,
which I am expounding during the present year, and from
which Gospel more than from any other book my instances are,
therefore, naturally taken. From what I have heard fellow-
missionaries say I think all at this centre would willingly
exchange the current version for the new one. I know of very
few instances, (e.g., Rom. i. 4, where the use of jpf || puzzles
me, as 99 out of 100 hearing it read would mistake it for ^ ff),
in which I prefer the current version. Let us thank God for
the large number of important changes and corrections He has
led Dr. Mateer and his colleagues to make.

" In Jesus Christ," by stating the position of the Christian, defines his
point of view, defines the inspiration and the law of his relation to everything
outside of Christ, and defines the source of the power that is effective through
his activity. (Robson). In his personal qualities the missionary roust
truly represent his Master before men. No other qualification or combination
of qualifications will compensate for the lack of that Divine Vision which has
captivated the heart and life for Christ, which makes a man live, and move, and
have his being among the unseen realities. (Mackay). According to the New
Testament standard the passion of a Christ-like love for human lives is a
greater thing than eloquence, knowledge, or faith. . . . Without missionary
passion, ministers are not able ministers of the New Testament ; they are
disabled, deficient, half-equipped ; they lack the fullness of the Spirit of Christ.
(Hall). It is the duty of the missionary to take in the Divine Spirit as the
dominating power of his nature, and to receive from him direction, and guid-
ance, aud help.— From the Ecumenical Missionary Conference Report,

1908] Progress of the Anti-opium Movement Among the Chinese 143

The Progress of the Anti-opium Movement
Among the Chinese

WITH a view to mark the present stage of the movement
towards the prohibition of opium in China, and to
reojister the measure of success attending the plans
set forth by the Chinese government in its agreement with the
British Ministry for the suppression of the habit of the drug, an
attempt has been made by the compiler of this article to secure
answers to certain leading questions from representatives of the
missionary body over a large part of the Empire. From a few
large and important centres replies have not come to hand, but,
as will appear, answers sufficient for the purpose desired, that of
forming a comparative estimate of the progress made in the
year, have been received. The circular asked the following
six questions : —

1. Ill the city or district wherein your work lies were the anti-
opium edicts duly posted ?

2. To what extent has the movement for the closing of the
dens in this district been successful ?

3. Has any attempt been made to deal with the sale of the
drug in the shops or to diminish the area under cultivation ?

4. To what extent has the movement for the opening of opium
refuges been noticeable ?

5. Is the movement a popular one in your district (that is, do
the gentry and people take it up) and is the official attitude zealous
or not ?

6. Are the Chinese making any attempt to influence public
opinion in your district in this matter ?

In response to QuKSTiON I, "Were the anti-opium
edicts duly posted" ? the concensus of answer is so markedly
affirmative that it is not thought needful to give the replies
in detail. There was considerably more delay in the central
than in the coast provinces, and in the prefecture of Wuchang,
and generally throughout Hupeh, the high officials took no steps
to make the edicts known to the people. The proportion of
reply might be stated thus: — Simple affirmative : ' Yes,' thrce-
fijths\ modified affirmative : " Yes, after some delay," one-fifth;
negative, one-fifth. From the west of China no replies have
been possible on account of the length of time required for
correspondence, but it is generally known, as was indeed to be
expected, that the anti-opium movement in the far western
and south-western provinces is at its lowest and least successful
point.

144 The Chinese Recorder [March

Question II. To what extent has the movement for the
closing of the dens in your district been successful ?
The replies are as follows : —

MANCHURIA.

Kirin. — The number greatly reduced. Illicit trading still
continues in a small way. There is apparently considerable
success.

Fakumen. — Dens successfully closed in May, 1907.

Chafigtufu. — Dens closed successfully in the latter half of
the year.

Hsinmingfu. — The divans were closed.

Manchuria therefore shows a clean sheet for the first step
of the government's programme.

CHTHLI.

Peking. — Successfully closed.

Tientsin. — Successfully closed. In the country district
closing generally successful.

Paotingfu. — Generally closed. There are some exceptions
in the smaller towns of the district.

Western Chihli (ten counties). — Successfully closed. A
few specially licensed places purposely allowed to remain open.

Soiith-western Chihli (nine counties). — In a majority of
counties no attempt at closing. Successful in two counties.

This would appear to place Chihli among the fairly good
provinces under this head.

SHANTUNG.

Tengchowfu. — Fairly successful in the city, less so in the
country districts.

Tsinanfu. — Private dens all closed down. A few official
licensed dens opened.

KIANGSU.

Shanghai. — All under Chinese jurisdiction closed down.

Soochow. — All successfully closed.

Chingkiang. — All closed down.

Hwaianfu. — Officially closed. Some illicit trading con-
tinues.

So far as Chinese official action is concerned, in the matter
of official closing Kiangsu seems to show a clean bill.

ANHUEI.

Anking. — Sign boards taken down. Many entirely closed,
but some carrying on illicit trade.

Iaochow/u.---C\osc6i in the cities. In the country districts
less success.

1908] Progress of the Anti-opium Movement Among the Chinese 145

■ Nakang/21. — Dens were all closed.

Luchowfii. — Sign boards removed ; most entirely closed,
others trading secretly.

Anhuei would seem to stand in the second class of provinces,
though appearing to have made considerable effort towards
complete closing.

HONAN.

Kaifengfu. — Sign boards removed. Some dens closed.
Illicit business continuing.

Riinningfu. — Dens not successfully closed.

Hwaichingfii. — Movement for closing not yet under way.

Changtefii. — Ostensibly closed, but still carrying on trade.

The Honan record is not a good one ; no honest attempt
appearing to have been made by the high officials to enforce the
edict.

HUPEH.

Hankow. — Nothing done of a practical nature.

Hanyang. — Dens still open and trading as usual.

Wuchang. — Movement but partially successful. Sign boards
taken down, but illicit smoking continues.

Ichang. — In the city the dens are still open. Some closed
in the district around.

Hupeh is a very disappointing province. Its high officials
seem to have ignored the edicts, and such success as has occurred
in parts has been due to the action of local officials.

HUNAN.

Hengchow. — Dens were closed.

Siangtan. — Dens ostensibly closed.

(No replies from elsewhere in this province.)

CHEKIANG.

Wenchowftc. — Dens officially closed, but back doors open.

Ynyiaohsien. — Ostensibly closed, back doors open.

Htickow/u. — Dens closed in city and in country districts.

Taichoivfu. — Dens officially closed throughout district.
Illicit trading continues.

Ningpo. — Closed in city and district. Secretly carrying
on trade in many.

Hangchow. — Dens officially closed. Some illicit trading
continues.

FOKIEN.

Foochow. — Dens all closed from 12th May, 1907.
Tengcfmifu. — Dens closed, but some doing business secretly.

146 The Chinese Recorder [March

KWANTUNG.

Canton. — Dens successfully closed.
Swatow. — Not successful.

Chaochowfii. — Not successful. One lamp only allowed in
each den.

(No other replies from Canton province).

Question III. — Has any attempt been made to deal with
the sale of the drug in the shops or diminish the area under
cultivation ?

MANCHURIA.

Kirin. — No information as to sales in shops. Area under
cultivation lessened.

Faktimen. — Sale in shops of prepared opium forbidden.
Cultivation entirely forbidden.

Changtufu. — Sale in shops of prepared opium forbidden.
Area cultivation reduced.

Hsinmingfu. — Shop sales as usual. Area reduced.

CHIHLI.

Tientsin. — Shop sales generally forbidden. No information
as to area.

Paotingfu. — A few shops allowed to sell under license. No
information as to area.

Western Chihli. — Sale only allowed under license. Greatly
reduced. Area reduced ninety per cent.

South-western Chihli. — Sale allowed under license in two
hsien. Others no change. Little poppy cultivation in this
region.

SHANTUNG.

Tengchowfu. — Has not heard of such attempt at reduction.
Tsinanju. — Private sales stopped. Sold under license.
Area being diminished.

KIANGSU.

Soochow. — Sale in shops as usual, but under license.
Poppy not cultivated.

Hwaianfu. — Sale in shops as usual, but under license.
Area considerably reduced.

Chingkiang. — Sale in shops as usual, but under license.
Poppy not cultivated.

Shanghai. — Sale in shops as usual, but under license.
Poppy not cultivated.

1908] Progress of the Anti-opium Movement Among the Chinese 147

ANHUEI.

Anking. — No information as to sales. Poppy not cultivated.

laochowfu. — Shops closed for a time ; since reopening.
Poppy not cultivated.

Nanka7igfii. — Sales in shops as usual. Poppy not cultivated.

LiichowJ'u. — No information as to sales. Edict issued for-
bidding cultivation.

HONAN.

Kaifengfu. — Sold only under license. Poppy not cultivated.

Runingfti. — Sales as usual. Tax on growing crop increased.

Hwaichingfu. — Sales as usual. Extra tax on crop pro-
posed.

Changtehfu. — No information as to sales. Area generally
reduced one-tenth.

HUPEH.

Nattkin. — Sales as usual. \

Hanyang. — ,, ,, ,, > No reduction reported.

Wuchang.— ,, _ ,, ,, )

Ichang. — Nothing attempted.

HUNAN.

Hengchow. — Sale in shops as usual. No opium grown here.
Siangtan. — Have not heard of any such attempt.

CHEKIANG.

Taichowfu. — Sale to be controlled officially. Area con-
siderably reduced.

Ningpo. — Attempt made to control sale. No information.

Hangchow. — Sales as usual. Reported decrease in area.

Htichow. — Nothing done.

Weftchow. — No attempt made.

Yuyiaohsien. — No information. Marked decrease in area.

FOKIEN.

Tingchui. — Nearly all shops closed. Area under cultiva-
tion small.

Foochow. — Sold only under license. Area decreased.

KWANGTUNG.

Swatow. — No information.

Chaochoivfti. — No attempt made.

Carlton. — Sold under license only. Licenses easily obtained.

148 The Chinese Recorder [March

Question IV. — To what extent has the movement for the
opening of opium refuges been noticeable ?

In Alanc/mria no movement has been heard of on the part
of the Chinese. Missionary refuge at Kirin well patronized.

In CJiihli refuges were opened by the Chinese in Tientsin
city ; the movement was started in the Chengtingfu prefecture
(Western Chihli), but without marked success. In the south-
west of the province no movement was heard of, but anti-opium
pills of doubtful composition command a large sale. In Pao-
tingfu there has been a marked increase in the use of morphia.

In Shantung the opening of one refuge is reported from
Tsinanfu, Anti-opium pills sell freely at Tengchowfu.

In KiangsH refuges have been opened by officials and
gentry in Shanghai, Soochow, Chingkiang, Hwaian. The
official in charge of the last named refuge is himself reported
an opium smoker ! The Malay remedy has been freely
distributed by the gentry in Shanghai, and numerous cures are
reported.

In Anhuei. In Anking several were opened ; in laochowfu
some were opened, but later closed. Kiukiang has some, and in
Luchowfu some old existing refuges, opened by the Vegetarian
Sect, are continuing work.

In Honan only Kaifengfu reports the opening of refuges.

In HupeJi none have been opened, but one is in the course
of preparation at Hankow. Native press has urged this form of
anti-opium work.

In Chekiang refuges are reported from Yuyiao, and at
Taichow one is in preparation. In the Fokien province, Ting-
chui reports that the city magistrate set himself the task of
curing forty victims per month, but has not succeeded. In
Foochow the anti-opium societies have opened and are
successfully working several refuges.

In Canton one large refuge has been opened, and is doing
good work.

Question V. — Is the movement a popular one in your
district (that is, do the gentry and people take it up) and is the
official attitude zealous or not ?

MANCHURIA.

Kirin. — Not much popularity or zeal noticeable.

Faknmen. — Movement a popular one and the officials
zealous.

Changtufu. — Movement a popular one, but the officials not
zealous.

Hsinmingfu, — Movement a popular one and the officials
fairly zealous.

1908] Progress of the Anti-opium Movement Among tiie Chinese i49

CHIHU.

Peking. — Movement popular among Reform officials and
some high officials are zealous.

Tientsin. — The officials seem in earnest and the movement
is popular.

Paotingfii. — Both officials and people approve of the move-
ment, but are not sanguine of good result.

Western CJiihli (ten hsien). — There is opium-smoking
among the officials and consequently no zeal.

South-western Chihli (nine hsien). — Officials express
approval of movement in conversation. Little attention is,
however, paid to it by the people.

SHANTUNG.

Tengchowfn. — Can hardly consider the movement a popular
one.

Tsinanfu. — Attempts are made to influence the people
through the local press.

KIANGSU.

Soochozv. — Movement popular among young men and
gentry. There is a very successful anti-opium society.

Shajighai. — Gentry and youth all favour the movement.
Press urges it. Officials fairly zealous. Strong anti-opium
society.

CJiingkiang. — Popular among young men. Official
attitude fairly good.

Ihvaian. — Popular among gentry. Some officials are
zealous, but Prefect is an opium smoker. Zeal seems slackening.

ANHUEI.

Anking. — Not generally popular, but some of the officials
and many of the people anxious for suppression.

laocJiowfu. — Former Prefect zealous, successor appears in-
different.

Nankangfii. — Officials seem keen to punish offenders against
anti-opium regulations. Otherwise they show no zeal.

LiccJiowfii. — No great popular movement. Officials not
specially active.

HON AN.

Kaifengfu. — Movement fairly popular. Officials not very
zealous.

Ritningfn. — Movement not popular, and there is no zeal.

Hwaichingfti. — No movement I Officials still smoke
secretly, people openly.

Changtefu. — Movement approved, but not generally popu-
lar. Certain of the officials are zealous.

150 The Chinese Recorder [March

HUPEH.

Wuchang. — People would popularize the movement if the
officials showed zeal, but they do not.

Hankow. — Little interest noticeable.

Hariyang. — Movement approved by people and gentry, but
the officials are not zealous.

Ichang. — General apathy on the part of officials, gentry
and people.

CHEKIANG.

Taichowfu. — The gentry are given to opium-smoking. The
Prefect recently appointed two weiyuans to look after the
movement.

Ningpo. — Popular among the younger generation. Zeal
lacks continuity.

Yuyiao. — Formerly a good deal of enthusiasm. Now not
so noticeably zealous.

Wenchow. — In one hsien the movement is popular, but the
officials are decidedly not zealous.

Hangchow. — A good deal of surface popularity. Some
officials show zeal.

Huchow. — Popular sentiment strongly anti-opium. Of-
ficials cannot be called zealous.

FOKIEN.

Tingchui. — Both gentry and people somewhat half-hearted.
Officials show little zeal.

Foochow. — Many gentry and the people seem very zealous
in the matter and the officials are obliged to follow.

KWANTUNG.

Canton. — In city officials and gentry enthusiastic. In
country district less zeal.

Swatow. — General apathy.
Chaochoi(fn.—0'Sic\^\s the reverse of zealous.

Question VJ. Are the Chinese making any attempt to in-
fluence public opinion in your district ?

All that could be said in answer to this question seems to
be that where the press is io operation or circulates its papers
it is constant in the carrying on of an anti-opium crusade and
that in a few centres literature prepared by Chinese is distributed.
In places like Canton, Foochow, Shanghai, Hangchow, Soochow
and Tientsin large public meetings have been held and anti-
opium societies formed. Otherwise public opinion in China
is of so recent a growth, and the idea of educating it along
moral lines so novel, that nothing systematic other than the
posting of the edicts has been attempted.

1908] Progress of the Anti-opium Movement Among the Chinese i51

■ The following are a few of the remarks offered by well
known missionaries in replying to the series of questions : —

Rev. H. S. Perkins, Paotingfu.

Paotmgfu. — There is a great deal more subcutaneous injec-
tion of morphia. In large towns percentage of smoking reduced
possibly a half " I should imagine that in time the percentage
of users would fall off if pressure is maintained. ' '

C. H. S. Green, C. I. M., West Chihli.

"As many officials still use opium their zeal is but 'top
side ' pressure, and to my mind it is here that the main weak-
ness of the movement lies. Until it is a fact that no official
tising the drug is eligible for office the people are not likely
to give it up."

Rev. F. Brown, Tientsin and District.

*' Tientsin is one of the more advanced places in China, but
in the country around they seem to be making honest attempts
to get rid of the drug."

Rev. W. HoPKYN Rees, South-west Chihli.

"The curse not so seriously felt here as in some sections
of the province. I estimate that but one in ten smoke. With-
out doubt the edict is practically a dead letter here, save in one
county. The apathy of the officials and the distance from the
viceregal yamen and the comparatively few who indulge account
for this."

Rev. J. S. WhiTewright, Tsinanfu.

"Some of the officials who are zealous feel great difficulty
in regard to the revenue. ' '

hWaian.

Rev. H. M. Woods, D.D., Kiangpeh,

"While public opinion is decidedly in favouf of the move-
ment the practical difficulty is lack of funds."

KWANGSI.

John T. Reid, C. I. M., Takutang.

"There is still much opium smoking ; it is looked upon
as almost hopeless to cure the old hands, but others are afraid
to acquire the habit."

152 The Chinese Recorder [March

Dr. Jas. Menzies, Hwaichingfu, Honan.

"So far as I can see or hear in this district all anti-opium
legislation is so far a dead letter. ... I never saw den signs
more numerous or clearly displayed than at present. ' '

Rev. J. GoFORTH, Changtefu, Honan.

"The great obstacle to progress is gain. Unless very
potent pressure is forthcoming from the Throne the officials do
not act. iUit the Church of Christ is a great anti-opium army
and the crusade is bound to triumph."

Rev. Arnold Foster, Wuchang.

"The weakness of much of the anti-opium movement in
China has seemed to rae to lie in the reluctance of the officials,
or their inability, to tap new sources of revetiue. A Chinese
financier with a free hand might, one would think, easily over-
come this difficulty, but men who are not financiers or political
economists and who are timid in regard to a line of bold policy,
may easily feel they cannot dispense with any present source of
income, and that being so they may not wish to promise a
reform which they do not see how they could carry out."

Rev. J. L. Hendry, Huchow.

"Among the Chinese youth there is generally a strong
antipathy to the smoking of opium,"

Rev. Ll. Lloyd, Foochow.

"I feel that the effiDrt to get rid of this vice is certainly
sincere in Foochow, and the authorities, acting on the initiative
of the gentry, etc., are restricting the cultivation of the poppy."

Dr. Marcus Mackenzie, Foochow.

"For some reason or other the opium habitu^ is not eager
at present to enter the mission hospital. There is a strong desire
amongst the members of the anti-opium societies to take up
the matter of reform themselves and carry it through, exclusive
of foreign help, excepting that of platform speaking and moral
encouragement. ' '

conclusions.

From a consideration of the foregoing certain facts stand
out. In general the posting of the Imperial edicts was regular-
ly attended to and the first steps enumerated as necessary for
prohibition were fairly generally attempted. Broadly speaking
the provinces along the coast have made genuine and fairly
successful attempts to deal with the licensed dens. The state of

1908] Progress of the Anti-opium Movement Among the Chinese 153

affairs in the central and western provinces clearly shows,
however, that the pressure from Peking upon the high officials
there was not sufficiently strong, and it seems most probable
that financial reasons, the inability or unwillingness of China
to develop the new sources of revenue which might be hers
in great abundance, made such pressure impossible in certain
outstanding cases, notably Hupeh. The power of the official
class to make or unmake the movement is evident and the fact
that opium-smoking still largely ol)tains among this class, is
one of the depressing features of the situation. This state of
affairs as a whole can only be remedied by pressure from above.
The report, however, from Foochow shows that where the gen-
try provide an able and enthusiastic leader (there the grandson of
" Opium Commissioner Lin" has proved such a one) the officials
find it wise to give way also to pressure from below. Public
opinion, so far as it exists on the subject, is all against opium,
and this is especially true of the rising generation. In spite of
much failure, which was to be expected, there can be no doubt
that the first year of the anti-opium movement in China has
resulted in a remarkable decrease in the public use of the drug.
The Chinese need to be shown how to educate the public mind
persistently and quietly on moral questions, and aided, wherever
possible, in the formation of anti-opium societies, whose work
should be educative and remedial. Certain large centres have
already shown what can be effected in this way. The Chinese
government needs also to be kept constantly alive to its declared
duty, in order that the movement may not succumb to the
Oriental vis inertiae so characteristic of China's domestic policy.
Missionaries in the interior of China by keeping themselves in
touch with Chinese public life, and by making their knowledge
of the progress or retrogression of the movement public, may
do much to influence the high officials of the Empire.

Too much stress should not be laid on the fact of occasional
illicit trading on the part of those engaged in the opium business.
Secret dens, in the present state of affairs, are inevitable.
If, however, this illicit business is connived at by the officials,
as appears the case in some quarters, and made a source of
revenue, as seems the practice in others, it then becomes a
serious fact, and by some means the attention of the higher
official of the district or even Peking should be called to the
state of affairs. It is certainly within the province of every
missionary to do all in his power to keep alive the efforts of tlie
gentry around him who are interested in this work. It should
be possible to establish a 'Watch' Committee of Chinese in
every big city in the Empire. These reports from all over the
field show hovc needful some such organization is, and show
also that among the educated young men found now all over
the Empire the material for such an enterprise might be secured.

154 The Chinese Recorder [March

"opium in kansu."

(Being an extract from a lecture delivered by Lt.-Col. C. D.
Bruce, Captain Superintendent of Police, Shanghai, before the
Shanghai Union Church Literary and Social Guild on Wednes-
day, January 15th, 1908.)

" One blot, and that no small one, lies on the people of Western
Kansu. It is that men and women are to a fearful extent habitual
and confirmed smokers of opium. From personal observation I
should have placed the percentage high, but had I not had the best
authority for saying so, not as high as it would appear to be.

" Monseigneur Otto, Catholic Bishop of Kansu, who has spent
thirty years of his life in China, and a large portion of that time in
Kansu, reckons six men out of every eight of the population as
confirmed in the habit. Opium-smoking is sometimes compared to
the unnecessary drinking common to most European nations. But
this in no sense represents a true perspective. It is well known
that opium is largely in use among other Asiatic races, some of our
own native Indian soldiers being of this number ; but that it can for
one moment be considered in China as merely a harmful excess con-
fined to a small minority of those who use the drug, is not the truth.
Without statistics it is useless to attempt to draw exact comparisons,
but it is only necessary to travel for a few months in Western
Kansu to see how all-embracing in its fearful effects the habit is.

'^ Facilis descensus Averni is a maxim with which we are all
familiar, and in the sense in which it is generally used it applies to
nothing so aptly as the career of the immoderate opium-smoker.
During the last year efforts have been made to control, if not to
extinguish the evil ; and if highsounding edicts from the Imperial
brush could alone accomplish the impossible we might hope for
better things.

" Worthy of all praise as such attempts are, there would be
more hope of ultimate success had moderation been shown in the
commencement of the crusade. Unfortunately the edict has gone
forth that in ten years opium-smoking will no longer exist in China,
and in this form I feel confident the experiment may be said to be
doomed. Let us suppose, for the sake of analogj', that a bill could
pass through two Houses of Parliament suppressing not only the
abuse of beer-drinking, but the use of beer within the same limit of
time. Would any person expect to see aught but failure accompany
such a preposterous attempt ? Yet the task to which the rulers of
China have yoked themselves is a thousand times more impossible.

" It is allowed by the Chinese authorities, who, it may be said
incidentally, do not as a rule err in severity in the enumeration of
national faults, that forty per cent, of the Chinese use opium. Had
the percentage been raised considerably, and the forty per cent,
starred as abusing the use of opium, perhaps we should have been
nearer the real figures. Whatever these may be, it should be
remembered that the abuse of this drug is not confined to the lower
orders. On the contrary, it numbers among its slaves — those most
hopelessly addicted to its use — the highest and most powerful in the
country.

1908] Correspondence 155

. "Not only as consumers do we find such men, but also as
producers. Much of the land upon which opium is grown is in the
hands of magistrates and even higher officials. As the most
productive crop, in spite of its paying in places double taxation, the
area under the poppy is annually increasing in China. In some
parts good wheat-land is turned into poppy-land, with the result
that whole districts formerly capable of raising sufficient food-stuff
for local requirements must now import.

" Nor are the vested interests in favour of the drug less strong
in other ways. It is well known that no Chinese magistrate could
exist upon the miserable stipend he receives. It has hitherto been
his business, and that of no one else, how he supplemented his
income ; and one of the chief sources was in the extra royalties or
"pickings" which could be dragged iu an ever-raising scale from
village opium-dens.

" The few examples quoted only .«;erve to indicate some of the
vested interests which will be found in the inert mass of those lying
in the way of an honest attempt to curtail the supply or use of opium.

"Whether the Chinese government, hitherto a synonym for
conservatism ot the most harmful kind, is likely to succeed in the
crusade it has initiated against opium-smoking, time alone can show.

" If it is willing to supply adequate guarantees that the attempt
is a sincere one, made solely for the good of the people, then indeed
has China awakened to the evil, and it is England's destiny once
more to stand for progress and the right and to help to the utmost
of her ability."

Correspondence.

THE TERM FOR "CHRISTIANITY." In some of the treaties ' Vesti-

V- //,^ n^u^^ o/- chiao' stands for 'Protestant,'
10 tlie rLditor of j . i • ^i ^^ r

■^ and in rendering the Conference

" The Chinese Recorder." memorials I made use of that

Dear Sir : Bishop Scott has expression with the addition of

drawn mv attention to the use of *^ ^^ distinguish us from those

^ # li for ' Protestant Christian- ^ho professed the faith of Jesus

itv' in a version of the Conference before the Reformation. If

resolutions. chitucJnao be preferred, is not a

I am not, as he supposed, the similar precaution imperative ?
translator of that document, and ^" sending you this note I

I agree with the Bishop in de- ^^^^ ^'^ ^^'^^^ *» provoke contro-

precating the introduction of such ^'^'■s>'' ^^^ ^ confess to an ardent

usage. \\ the term be employed ^^^'^^ ^^ promote that unity

in this narrow sense not merely ^^^^^ ^^ ^° element of strengtty
does it ignore the pioneer work W. A. P. ^'J 0y^i:

of the R. C. missions, it excludes (

the Greek church, vast and vener-
able, and leaves us without a Dear Mr. Macgillivray : I
conimon banner to float over the have had letters calling attention
mighty host who claim Christ to a rather serious oversight in
as the lyord. the tran.slation of the Conference

156

The Chinese Recorder

[March

Resolutions on "The Chinese
Church." As you and j'our col-
leagues on the Translation Com-
mittee were so kind as to give
me an opportunity of going over
your draft before its form was
finally fixed, I am afraid I must
share the responsibility with you,
as I confess I quite omitted to
notice the error.

It occurs unfortunately twice
over in the First Resolution ; the
words "The Church of Christ"
being substituted for the words
"Protestant Missions" in one
clause, and again for the words
"Protestant Church" in the
next. When one reads on to
the second Resolution, the dis-
tinction is properly preserved
by the use of the words " Fu-
yuan" f^ ]^^, but it is a great
pity that the distinction does not
appear in the First Resolution in
the Chinese Version, though it
is prominent in the English
original.

I take the more blame to my-
self because, on looking up the
original drafts, I see that I sug-
gested the addition of the words
" Fu-yuan " in Resolution II,
and yet omitted to do so in
Resolution I. Further, you had
at first written " Ya-su Chiao"
5P W> W^ '" t^^ ^^^^ clause, which
at least had the merit of follow-
ing the distinction made in pop-
ular speech between the "Ya-
su Chiao" and the " T'ien-chu
Chiao" 5fc i I5:- The usage is
not a good one. and I still think
I was right in suggesting, and
you were right in accepting, the
suggestion to use the phrase
" Chi-tu Chiao " ^ # |Jc in the
first clause of Resolution I, in-
stead of "Ya-su Chiao" as it
stood in your draft.

But we erred in failing to
notice that this change required
the insertion in some form of the
distinguishing words "Fu-yuan,"

since we had dropped the dis-
tinction which is made (though
not satisfactorily) by using the
phrase "Ya-su Chiao." In so
far as I helped to lead you into
this slip I beg to apologise to
you and your colleagues on the
Committee.

Can anything be done now to
remedy the error ? The English
original is perfectly clear, and
neither the Conference nor, I am
sure, the translators, had any
intention to ignore either the
Nestorian or the Roman Church,
or to claim for Protestant mis-
sions that they were the first or
the only Christian Church to
break ground in China. It has
to be admitted that an error
has crept in, and the Chinese
version may be resented as both
discourteous and inaccurate.

I know that the first edition
of the Chinese text has been
widely distributed, but here at
least we wish a great many more
copies for more general and per-
manent use. Could not a second
edition be printed even yet with
necessary correction ? Something
also might be done by sending
out a small slip noting the
necessary correction. But the
issue of a second edition would
be much more effective. Here
we should be glad to order a
good many copies, and I hope
many others would do the same.
The first issue does not reach
all our preachers even, and we
should like to put them on sale
for all.

Meantime may I ask you to
pass this on to the Recorder
for insertion, as this will call the
attention of missionaries to it,
and perhaps you would add a
few lines of your own ?

With kind regards and best
wishes.

Yours very truly,

John C. Gibson.

1908]

Correspondence

157

p. S. — I suggest the following
amendments as removing the
objection : —

lu the first column on p. i.

Forl^tigic-^ffii^+S.
In the second column on p. i.

Read mmw,'Mmm^m

To the Editor of
"Thk Chinkse Reco^]^^." . r
DEAR Sir: Referring to Brsfol^'^^^^^^O^OGETics FOR china.

The following other terras are
found:a5:Hli. lE^. litlEl^.

%% IE ijc. fg 19; sk> Hii m n 2fe.

This latter is the term used by
Dr. Martin in his rendering of the
letter to the Chinese Churches,
and is the one used in Japan on
the authority of C. B. Mosely,
but there are obvious objections
to it. Who will decide which is
the best term? We had all the
terms before us, but did not wish
to settle anything.

The Transi^ation Committee.

Graves' letter of the proper term
for " Protestant Christianity " he
objects to ^ ^ IJC. but suggests
no other. 1 wonder how " Pro-
testant Episcopal Church in
America " is rendered. The
name in use ,i& S" "^ "^^es not
show.

In reference to Dr. Gibson's
letter, the Translating- Committee
originally put "% S^ |J[, tliough
aware of the objections, because
up to this time it was the com-
monest. In 1845 this name was
not current, but in the treaties
of 1858 it is used. Also in the
Memorial of the Conference of
1877 to the Chinese government,
and in the Memorial of the Con-
ference of 1890 to the same,
it is used. These two there-
fore represent the views of Dr.
Allen, Dr. John, Dr. William-
.son, Dr. Yates, Dr. Blodget,
Dr. Wherry, Dr. Ashmore,
and Dr. Richard — all great
names. In 1872 Doolittle gives
it, and popular usage now is
KIS IJc in Wen-li. Still ^ # fc
is used by the Y. M. C. A., by
the North-China Federation Con-
ference, and .seems to be gaining
ground. So at Dr. Gibson's
suggestion we changed JjJ ,S,^ ^

to ^ # i;.

Reverend and Dear Sir : It
interests me much to know that
you are thinking of preparing a
new apologetics with special re-
ference to modern conditions in
China. Nothing is more im-
portant than that a work of this
character should be rightly con-
ceived. I do not feel that I am
capable of drawing up the out-
line for such a book, nor do I
think that the method of any one
of the men that you mention can
be accepted as a standard for
an Eastern apologetics. Three
things in my judgment must be
kept iu view :

First. The attitude toward
the non-Christian faiths should
be in a large sense appreciative
and not condemnatory. That
there are many things in those
faiths deserving of condemnation,
goes without saying, but he who
would commend to educated
orientals the Christian truth,
shuts the door in his own face
the moment he begins to depre-
ciate or to attack non-Christian
positions. Let him, on the other
hand, dare in the face of much
mistaken missionary conservat-
ism to acknowledge and appre-
ciate the many noble conceptions,
religious and ethical, in the non-

158

The Chinese Recorder

[March

Christian systems of thinking ;
and let his general aim and goal
be to show how the distinctive
truths of the Christian religion
supplement and complete that
toward which the highest as-
pirations of the race have tended,
and in particular that this dis-
tinctive contribution of Chris-
tianity to the religious experience
of the world makes for an ethical
end, fulfilling itself in godlike
characters of men. What I have
said under this paragraph I hold
to be absolutely fundamental.
Every few weeks I find that I
am being attacked by mission-
aries in India and elsewhere for
having taken this position in ray
Barrows lectures ; but no argu-
ment raised against m)' position
seems to have power to over-
weigh the enormous considera-
tions which are on the other
side.

Second. In your new apologe-
tics you must recognize that the
evidence for the divine nature of
Christ, and the divine origin of
Christianity, has moved toward
deeper and more subjective posi-
tions. While I am full}' ready
to admit that there is a sense in
which the argument from design
in nature affords a noble apologe-
tic opportunity, and while my

faith is not only unshakt;n, but
stronger than ever, in the possi-
bility and historicity of miracles,
I do not regard either of these as
affording the strongest ground
for an Eastern Christian apologe-
tics. You must move toward the
experiential basis, and with tliat
you must give full value to the
metaphysical questions involved
in the nature and significance of
human consciousness in its rela-
tion to tlie infinite.

Third. Do not accentuate
Western civilization as affording
conclusive evidence of the power
of Christianity. It may be true
that in some respects it does
afford such evidence, but West-
ern civilization is not a wise
word to conjure with in the
East. The le.-is said about it the
better. L,et tlie accent be on the
marked evidence appearing in
the Eastern consciousness point-
ing to the Oriental assimilation
of Christian ideas.

I feel that these are very crude
suggestions, but they are not
hastily given. I hope that they
may have some bearing upon the
work that you are doing.
Faithfully yours,
Ch. Cuthbert Hall.

Union Theoloj^ical Seminary,
New York.

Our Book Table.

The object of these Reviews is to give real information about
books. Authors will help reviewers by sending with their books,
price, original if any, or any other facts of interest. The custom
of prefixing an English preface is excellent.

I W H f£- The Three-fold Secret of
the Holy Spirit, by James H. Mc-
Conkey, translated by Alice M.
Home, London Mission, Amoy.
Easy W^n-li, Chinese maopien,
pages 72 Price 12 cents. Christian
I^iterature Society, Shanghai.

No doubt there are several
people who on seeing this head-
ing will recollect that they once
thought of doing the work which
Miss Home has now given us.
The original has been so widely

1908]

Our Book Table

159

distributed in China by the K.
and K. free fund and has done
so much good that the wonder is
that no one had done it before
into Chinese. The English edi-
tion on our desk is the fourteenth,
and the ninetieth thousand. Mr.
McC. is the author of "The
Surrendered Life" and other
booklets. The three secrets are :
I, the secret of His Incoming ; 2 ,
the secret of His Fulness, and 3,
the secret of His Constant
Manifestation. Miss Home has
done her part well. Now let
the missionaries do theirs by
distributing this stimulating and
illuminating book among their
churclies. At the end of the
preface is a list of other works in
Chinese on the Spiritual L,ife,
an excellent idea, which all au-
thors would do well to copy. We
hope this book will have as large
a sale as S. D. Gordon's books
on Power and Prayer have had,
and so help our Christians into
the fulness of their inheritance.

The Cliiuese Tract Society. Twenty-
ninth Report. 1907.

This excellent Society reports
a very prosperous year. Its Board
of Trustees comprises some forty-
nine Chinese and Europeans.
There are twenty-nine life mem-
bers and a very long list of local
secretaries. Reprints of books
amounted to 291,850 copies, equal
to 4,848,400 pages. Eighteen
new works were issued, making
240,570 copies and 5,496,780
pages ; of these Hallock's Al-
manac (now printed independent-
ly) accounted for 50,000 copies.
Sales of books were $9,729.74
and periodicals $1,614.74. ba-
lance at Bank, $8, 150.78, of which
$4,000 are on fixed deposit.

The needs of the Society are
stated as follows: — " A union of
the Book and Tract Societies, or

the very heartiest co-operation
and mutual helpfulness. We
need men set apart and supported
for this work. We need means
to publish, advertise and distri-
bute our works. We need a
union central book dep6t in
Shanghai and a branch book
store in every great center."
These are "pious wishes" so
far, even the last proposal hav-
ing, since the Report was issued,
been declared by the directors
to be not feasible (?),

The Report contains the
annual sermon by Dr. A. P.
Parker and a new Descriptive
Catalogue of the Society's
publications. If you have not
read it, do so, and you will be
well repaid.

Mateer's Arithmetic (abridged') , Vol
2. §^ % M ^ ^^ '^ f\> American
Presbyterian Mission Press, Shang-
hai. Price 25 cents.

Though called "Mateer's
Arithmetic (abridged) " this is
practically a new work by Mrs.
Ada Haven Mateer. The ar-
rangement is new, and many, if
not most, of the questions are
new, and are of a nature to be
easily understood by the pupils.
The whole is in simple Man-
darin. Vol. I, which appeared a
year ago, has already proved
very useful. It is shorter than
the original Vol. i, and does
not include Weights and Mea-
sures, which are left to be learnt
after Fractions and Decimals in
Vol. 2, which again does not
include Proportion and Interest
as does Vol. 2 in Dr. Mateer's
Arithmetic. Much space is
.saved by not printing the ex-
amples vertically as well as
horizontally as in the original
edition. The Multiplication
Tables are printed separately on
stout cardboard as an inset to
Vol. I, and the Tables of Weights

160

The Chinese Recorder

[March

and Measures are printed to-
gether at the end of Vol. 2 ;
this will make it easier to refer
to them when necessary. It is
also a great advantage not to
have the answers printed at the
foot of each page in the full
view of the scholar. I understand
that when the three volumes are
completed the answers will be
printed altogether, either sepa-
rately, or at the end of Vol. 3.
Most of us who have put the
unabridged edition into the
hands of our pupils must have
noticed how they looked first at
the answers and then worked
the sums accordingly. I am
glad to see that recurring dec-
imals are introduced and ex-
plained in Vol. 2. Having
examined several arithmetic
books lately put out by Chinese
authors I have come to the
conclusion that most foreign
teachers will prefer using books
like Mrs. Mateer's for some time
to come.

A. F.

i®^ PfW^- Chinese Hymnal. Prepared
by Rev. H. Rlodget, D.U., and Rev.
Chauncey Goodrich, D.D. C.Good-
rich and E. G. Tewksbury, Musical
Editors. A. B. C. F. M. Mission,
1907.

The November number of the
Recorder contained a notice of
the republication of the revised
and altered edition of this Hym-
nal which, in its earlier form,
has been in use for many years.
To this notice was appended a
brief note regarding the .second
edition, which was completed
and ready for distribution in
1900, when it was destroyed by
the Boxers.

It is fitting that there should
be more extended notice of this
invaluable contribution to the
equipment of the growing Church

for its service of song, and that
attention should be called to some
of the points which especially
adapt it for wide use. The vo-
lumes are printed and bound in
several sizes and styles to suit
varying needs and purses.

There is a light weight book,
in clear type, with the music
written in the ordinary notation.
Another, a little smaller and
more compact, with tunes in the
Tonic Sol Fa. A very neat vol-
ume with hymns only, in the
same sized characters, and a
small one, easily carried in the
pocket, which, printed in small
pica, is the delight of the young
people, who wonder that theii
elders prefer the less handy
books. But the largest of these
is easily portable, and the com-
pactness and clearness combined
are a real triumph in the print-
ing of Chinese. Prices vary
with style and binding. Even the
least expensive, a paper covered
volume, is neat and good look-
ing, while the cloth bound ones,
with their red-edged leaves, are
very attractive. So much for the
externals, the garb in which we
find hymns new and old — the
Grand Chants and Doxologies,
Treasures of the Ages — many of
them thus made available, for
the first time, for the worship of
the Chinese Protestant Church.
In comparing the present with
the earlier edition one most sug-
gestive fact appears. The ad-
ditions are chiefly in h3'mns of
Christian experience, the omis-
sions are of the didactic or doc-
trinal ones. When the first
volume appeared many of the
hymns of deepest meaning — those
of consecration or devotion —
seemed so far beyond even the
aspiration of those called by the
name of Christ among this people
that they were not the ones that
those looking for what would best

1908]

Our Book Table

161

meet the immediate need were
prompted to select for transla-
tion. Now the hymns which
reach the heights and sonnd the
depths of the soul's life, as related
to the Divine Love, are those
which teachers in closest touch
with the Christians long to give
to men and women prepared by
God's Spirit to receive and be
aided by them. These notes,
.sounded by souls which have
felt most profoundly the reality
of things nnseen, are those to
which they expect the Chinese
Christians to respond. So this
book is not only for the aid, but
in some sense a record, of the
progress of the Church in China.
The authors and translators re-
presented are many. Among
the latter are some of the early
leaders in the North, Mr. W. C.
Burns, Drs. Blodget, Martin and
Goodrich, Bishop Burdon and
Mr. Jonathan Lees. Some of the
richest of the modern hymns
have been put into Chinese by
ladies of different missions. Na-
tive pastors and teachers fur-
nish quite a number of original
hymns, the excellent quality of
which suggests that in the future
there will be no lack of fresli and
suitable additions as occasion calls
for them. The range of subjects
is wide and embraces admirable
variety. Complete it is of course
far from being, but there is happy
selection from classic and dignifi-
ed hymns with not a few of the
more popular and modern. Of
the unworthy jingles which
abound in our Western collec-
tions scarcely a trace remains
unless we find it in " Where, Oh
where are the Hebrew Children ,"
which was doubtless included
because of the well-known fond-
ness of the Chinese for both
words and tune. We are enrich-
ed indeed by the addition of
' ' Oh, Master, let me walk with

Thee," " In Heavenly Love abid-
ing," " Oh, Light of Light, .shine
in," and others of kindred tone.
That this is to be the Church's
hynnibook of the future no one
can anticipate, but it is a noble
contribution toward the making
of that which, with large ad-
ditions from strictly Chinese
sources, may become standard.
It should fill a large place for
many years to come, as it con-
tains hymns which will live and
grow in the hearts of the Chris-
tians until they will as com-
pletely forget that they are tran-
slations as we do when we sing
" Jerusalem the Golden," or, per-
haps, being reminded by quaint-
ness of style as we are in that,
enjoy them the more that they
recognize them as belonging to
the Church universal.

The effort — a very successful
one, as many of wide range of
experience in different provinces
think — has been to put the hymns
into a style easily understood in
any Mandarin-speaking or read-
ing community and entirely
intelligible anywhere to those
familiar with Wen-li. This
makes the volume available for
a large part of the Empire, and
it is greatly to be hoped that its
treasures of Christian thought,
feeling, and expression may be
known and enjoyed to the build-
ing up of " The Body of Christ,
which is His Church" through
large portions of the land.
Happy those whose labors have
contributed to it. Their work
will abide and influence increase
with the ongoing years. Those
who secure and take time to
make themselves familiar with
what the book offers, will be well
repaid even though it be not
practicable to introduce it for
familar use in their congrega-
tions.

Mary H. Portsr.

162

The Chinese Recorder

[March

Note. — These volumes can all
be found at the Presbyterian Mis-
sion Press, and Mr. A. C. Grimes,
American Board Mission, Tien-
tsin, has them on sale. The
Presbyterian Press will soon
issue an edition in large type for
the use of those who, either
through failing sight or lack of
familiarity with the characters,
find difficulty in using tho.se in
the medium. Such a volume
for the pulpit would often be of
great service or for evening u.se
in dimly lighted audience rooms.

The Empire of Christy being a Study
of the Missionary Enterprise in the
Light of Modern Religions Thought.
By Bernard L,uc<is London : Mac-
millan & Co , Ltd. 1907.

Under the figure of empire-
building, the author, who has
served for more than a score of
years as a missionary of the
London Missionary Society in
the Madras Presidency, discusses
the question of India's evangel-
isation from the point of view
of Christian statesmanship. To
the honest student of the great
problem of evangelizing the
world this book will afford a
welcome stimulus to imperial
thinking regarding the Kingdom
of God, even though he may not
be ready fully to assume the
standpoint of the author who,
while professing sympathy with
the position of those who hold
that the Gospel of Christ is
addressed primarily to the in-
dividual, feels that "it is the
priceless value of the soul of a
people, the glorious future of a
vast empire, and the divinely
appointed destiny of a great
nation, which stand forth with
equal distinctness."

This standpoint is involved
in what he calls the "newer
thought," which "has placed the

emphasis on the race rather than
on the individual, on life rather
than on death, on earth rather
than on heaven. In its outlook
therefore it has an eye for the
soul of a nation and not merely
for the souls of individuals , . .
The Church in the past has sent
forth its missionaries to save the
individual and has paid little or
no regard to the race to which
he belonged. . . . The result
has been that while we have suc-
cessfully transplanted Western
religious thought into a few
isolated patches of Eastern soil,
we have but very imperfectly
attempted the great task of Chris-
tianising the Kast."

A reconstruction of the raLs-
siouary method of the Churcli in
the East and of the missionary
appeal to the Church in the
West is therefore, in the author's
judgment, necessar3^ This, then,
constitutes the "modern pro-
blem," to the solution of which
the author directs our attention
in his first chapter. In the fol-
lowing chapter the "modern"
standpoint is shown to be essen-
tially different from the old, both
in the Church and out of it, but
"it is of supreme importance
that we should recognize that
the mi.ssionary motive abides the
same under the newer as under
the older thought. ... To the
newer thought the faith and the
hope have changed, but the love
abides ; and its constraining
power is still the motive force
which compels it to seek and to
save that wliich is lost." It must
be ])orne in mind, however, that
" the missionary cause will pros-
per not because of the newer
thought, but only as the result
of a richer life which that newer
thought is bound to produce."

In his discussion of the " In-
dian Religious Climate" the
author presents an exceedingly

1908]

Oui Book Table

163

iuteiesting analysis of the relig-
ious situation in India. He
holds that to the Eastern mind
religion is not a superfluity
which he can dispense with and
not miss, but an essential part
of his very existence. In the
strictest sense of the word there
is nothing in India which can
properly be called secular. To
the Hindu what he sees is un-
real ; God is the great and only
reality. His conception of God,
however, is far from what it
ought to be. " What the Hindu
demands therefore is a truer and
deeper conviction of the real
answer to the mystery of life ; a
richer and not a poorer concep-
tion of the relation between life
and conduct ; a clearer and not a
more opaque view of human
destiny. The practical answers
of the busy and bustling West
will never satisfy the leisured
and imperturbable East."

The author next attempts to
set forth in terms consonant with
his convictions regarding reli-
gion and his estimate of religious
conditions in India a statement
of the " Religious Need of India."
He assumes that it is not the
strength of the missionary's
views but the depth of his life
which justifies his propagating
his religion. Not his creed but
his faith should be his motive
power. His desire is not for
converts but for souls. "What
India needs is that consciousness
of a possession of a self-hood, a
soul which makes man akin to
God, holding the reins of destiny
in his own hands, responsible for
that character and individuality
which it is the supreme purpose
of life to evolve. . . She needs
that revelation of life which
Christ has given, and when she
sees it she will yield to none in
her appreciation of its wondrous
beauty."

Under the heading of the
"Christianizing of India" the
founding of the " Empire of
Christ" is discussed. "To the
older theology, India was the ship
on the rocks and the missionary
was the lifeboatman engaged in
the task of picking up the few
survivors who were swept within

his reach To the modern

mind, on the other hand, India
is a ship which is salvable, not
on the rocks but aground ; and
the real missionary enterprise is

that of bringing the ship

into port with all on board."

The book closes with a chapter
on the "Church's Resources."
These the author takes to be less
material than spiritual. The best
guarantee of the successful pros-
ecution of the missionary enter-
prise is llie ileepening of the
spiritual life of the Church itself.
What is needed is not so much
that the Church should take an
interest in missions but that mis-
sions should become her passion.
" Missionary work is not business
at all, but empire-building; and
it demands imperial ideas and
imperial resources of brain and
heart in the Church that would
carry it on."

Whatever one may feel regard-
ing the theology of this book
there is much in it to summon
the reader to a careful and
prayerful consideration of the
real purpose and most effective
method of the missionary enter-

P"^^- D. W. E.

BOOKS RECEIVED.

Student World. January, 1908. New
organ of World's Student Christian
Federation.

World's Chinese Students' Journal,
Vol, 2, No. 3.

Nineteenth and Twentieth Reports
of the International Institute.

Life of Jessie M. Johnston.

The Christian Movement in Japan.
Fifth Annual Issue.

164

The Chinese Recorder

[March

Messrs Macmillan & Company' s
publications : —

English Literature for Secondary
Schools. The Age of the Antonines.
The History of the Fall and Decline
of the Roman Empire, by P:dward
Gibbon. Cliapters i to ill. Edited
by J. H. Fowler. MA. Price is.

English Literature for Secondary
Schools. Seventeenth Century Prose.
Selected and edited, with Introduc-
tions, Notes, Glossary, etc., by Eliza-
beth Lee Price is.

Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, The
Nun Priest's Tale. Edited with In-
troduction and Notes by Alfred W.
Pollard. Price i/6.

Macmillan's Supplementary Read-
ers. Junior, Fairy Tales, Vols, i and ii
and Tales from Andersen. Price 4d.
each.

Macmillan's Supplementary Read-
ers, Intermediate, AH Baba, The Story
of Siiib:id the Sailor, and Fables from
^sop. Price 4d. each.

Macmillan's Supplementary Read-
ers, Senior, Tanglewood Tales, Ad-
ventures of Robinson Crusoe. Price
4d. each.

The International Geography, by
Seventy Authors. Edited by Hugh
R. Mill, D.Sc, LL.D., F.R.S.E. Sec-
tion III. Asia. Price 2S.

Messrs. Nelson & Sons' Publica-
tions : —

The Royal Treasury of Song and
Story :

Book I. Doors of Gold. Price lod.
Part II. Fairy Favours. ,, is.
Part III. The Hall of Heroes. ,, 1/3

Highroads of History :

Fourth Book, Other Days and other
Ways. Price 1/6.

Fifth Book, Stuart and Tudor.
Price 1/8.

Beautifully illustrated in black-and-
white and coloured plates.

Books in Preparation.

(Correspondence invited.)

The following books are in course
of preparation. Friends engaged in
translation or compilation of books
are invited to notify Rev. D. Mac-
Gillivray, 44 Boone Road, Shanghai,
of the work they are engaged on, so
that this column may be kept up
to date, and overlapping prevented.
N. B. Sotiie whose names have been
on this list a long time are asked to
•write and say if they have given up
the work, or what progress, if any,
they are making. Perhaps they are
keeping others from doing the work.

C.L. S. List:—

Booker T. Washington's "Up from
Slavery." By Mr. Kao Lunching.

Selections from Hastings' Bible Dic-
tionary. By D. MacGillivray.

Laidlaw's Sin and Salvation, E.
Morgan (out).

The Incarnate Saviour. By D. Mac-
Gillivrav.

Three'-fold Secret of the Holy Spirit
(McConkey) By Miss Home (out).

Japanese Educational System. E.
Morgan (out).

Dr. H. A. Johnston's "Studies for
Personal Workers." By Mrs, A. H.
Mateer (out).

Sharman's "Studies in the Life of
Christ" By Miss Sarah Peters.
Nearly ready for the press.

Ballantine's Inductive Studies in
Matthew.

Alone with God, by Dr. J. H. Garri-
son. W. Renifry Hunt.

Psalms, Metrical Version of, by F.
W. Bailer (in press).

The Five Great Offerings. By F. W.
Bailer.

Organ Instructor. By Mrs. R. M.
Mateer.

Teddy's Button. Mrs. R. M. Mateer.

Murray's New Life. R. A. Haden.

Murray'sLike Christ. By Mr. Chow,
Hangchow College.

Illustrations for Chinese Sermons,
by C. W. Kastler.

Systematic Theology. 12 parts.
Dr. DuBose.

Torrey'sHow toPray. Chen Chung-
kuei.

" Little Faith." Mrs. Crossette.

Expositorv Com. on Numbers. By
G. A. Clfiyton.

Expos. Com. on Hebrews, by G. L.
PuUan.

1908]

MissioiUiy News

165

Little Meg's Children. By Mrs.
Crossette.

Prof. Cliwolson's Hegel, Hiickel,
Kossuth, and the 12th Coumiaudmeut.
By F. Ohlinger.

Miss Ciarlaud proposes a Children's
Hymnal on a scale much larger than
hitherlo attempted — iu fact a Chinese
"Golden Bells."

Sermons on Acts. Genahr.

Pontoppidan's Explanation of Lu-
ther's Catechism. American Lutheran
Mission.

Outlines of Universal History. H.
L. W. Bevan, Medhurst ("ollege.

Concordance Dr. C H. Fenn.

Essentials of Christianity (Methodist
Theology). Dr. A. P Parker.

Torrey's What the Bible Teaches.
By J. Speicher.

Tholuck's Sermon on the Mount.
By J.. Speicher.

Psychology for Teachers. By S. B.
Drake.

Ancient Babylonia and Assyria. By
S. B. Drake.

"His Great Apostle," and "His
P'riends." By Rev. Chang Yang-hsiin.

Catechism for Primary Sunday
Schools. By Mrs, Crawford.

Choosing a Life Work — Yours. A
manual of texts for young Christians.

Stones from the Brook.

Stalker's Paul.

Robert Speer's Principles of Jesus.
J H. Jowett's The Passion for Souls.
Both in mandarin. Many Infallible
Proofs. Inspiration of a Christian,
Fulness of Power. By J. Vale.

Mrs. Nevius' Mandarin Hymn Book.

Dr. and Mrs. Nevius' Manual for
Christians, with answers to the ques-
tions.

Practical Chemistry in three parts :
I. Inorganic, Elementary,
II. Inorganic, Qualitative and

Quantitative Analysis.
III. Organic. By H. G. Whitclier
and Bae Yii-chang

Practical Physics, by the same and
Liu Kuang-chao.

Higher Algebra, by the same and
Liu Kuang-chao.

The Roman Theology and the Word
of God, by Alphonso Argento.

Constructive Studies in Life of
Christ. H. W. Luce.

Pry V. M. C. A. :—

Main Lines iu the Bible. Fred. S.
Goodman.

How to Study the Bible. Torrey.

Habit. Prof. William James.

Fundamental Principles of the
Christian Life. H. C. King.

Outline vStudies in Biblical Factsand
History. J, N. De Puy audj. B, Travis.

Missionary News.

Shantung Protestant
University

As the readers of Rkcordrr
probaby know, this Universit}'
consists of three parts, viz., an
Arts College of 200 students at
Weihsien, a Theological Semi-
nary and Normal School at
Chingchowfii of about 140 stu-
dents, and a Medical College at
Chinanfu. The Union was form-
ed in 1904 by the American Pres-
byterian and the English Baptist
Missions in Shantung. Themed-
dical college is not yet in running
order, but a grant of ;^4,ooo
sterling has been made from the
Arthington Fund, and it is hoped
to secure site and erect buildings
during the present year.

At Chingchowfu the foreign
staff consists of one American
and one Englishman, and at Wei-
hsien of two Americans and two
Englishmen. The students natu-
rally come mainly from the Chris-
tian families connected with the
two uniting Mi.ssions, but all are
welcome from any quarter, whe-
ther Christian or not, so long as
they pass the Entrance Examina-
tion and are willing to obey the
University regulations.

Those engaged in this work
have recently received great
stimulus from the visit of Rev.
W. Y. Fullerton, of Leicester, and
Rev. C. E. Wilson, General Sec-
retary of B. M. S., London, and
himself for some years Head of a
missionary college in India.

166

The Chinese Recorder

[March

Hitherto English has not been
taught at Weihsieu, but next
term it is to be introduced in
the senior classes under special
conditions as to ability, character
and fees.

The University Council (or
Board of Directors) recently held
its annual meeting at Weihsien,
when important questions were
discussed, and, among other
things, it was decided to invite
representatives of all the other
missions in the province to a
conference with a view to their
joining in the work of the medic-
al college, and so making it
truly provincial and undenomina-
tional in character.

During the annual meeting a
great shadow was cast over all
present by the death from blood-
poisoning of one of the most re-
spected teachers in the staff at
Weihsien. Mr. ^ Pei YU-chang
was an old pupil of Rev, S.
Couling, M.A., and had taught
for many years in the high
school at Chingchowfu and after-
wards in the college at Weihsien.
He was a man of unusually
strong Christian character, and
his death at the age of thirty-
three not only cuts short a prom-
ising career, but deals a heavy
blow at the college. Like so
many of the Divine Decrees it is
impossible for us to understand.
We can only bow our heads
and believe there is a gracious
unseen purpose in this apparent
waste of a consecrated, beloved
and greatly needed life.

E. W. B.

Weihsien.

Unique Christian Gathering'
at Peking

There was lielrl on Wediiesdav, Feb-
ruary 12, at 2 p.ni., one of tlic most
unique meetings ever held iu China,

and it may be in the world. Thirteen
Missionary Bodies of all creedsmet and
sanjj hymns and offered prayers.

The gathering was held in the
church in the American Board com-
pound, and fully eight hundred peo-
ple were present. The invitations
were issiierl and the programmes pre-
pared under the direction and in-
spiration of one man, the pastor of
the North Congregational Church,
Rev. Jen Ch'ao-hai.

Mr. Jen has long been disturbed by
the divisions of the Christian ho.sts,
and has sought and meditated long
over some method by which they
might draw a little closer together.
As the New Year approached he
thought he would try and make a
practical effort. Hence he vi.sited in
person the various ecclesiastical es-
tablishments in Peking.

He was greatly surprised at the
cordiality with which his suggestions
were received at the Russian Mission
in the north part of the city. He
met with the same reception from a
Roman Catholic priest, who welcomed
the plan. While saying that it would
be impossible for him to attend, he
was willing the members of the Church
should do so. At the Anglican and
other missions Mr. Jen met the same
cordiality and friendliness.

His idea was nothing more than a
friendly gathering of Christian people
and an exchange of New Year greet-
ings, together with exercises which
would be mutually agreeable. No
exhortations were to be given and no
religious discussion or anything upon
which they could not unite. A pro-
gramme was prepared and submitted
to the various communions. Correc-
tions and additions were made in it
until it was finally accepted in the
form presented that afternoon. The
programme was substantially as
follows :

I. — A song by members of the Pe-
king University.

2. — Reading of Scripture by Pastor
Jen, the Chairmau. After each passage
the company said " Amen " in union ;
the Greek Christians followed, inton-
ing " Amen."

3. — A song by students from the
Union College, Tungchou.

4. — The Lord's Prayer in union.
Then followed an explanation of

the object of the gathering by the
Chairman He spoke of his long
meditation o the subject and anxiety
to do something to heal the breach
between Christians. He said the divi-
sions came from Western lands and

19081

Missionary News

167

were not native to China and should
not have been imported. Because the
churches in the West were divided,
that was no reason why the Chinese
should keep apart. They had a com-
mon Bible, a common Father, and a
common Saviour. If this initial
gathering should be the beginning of
a movement towards better acquaint-
ance and mutual regard he would be
satisfied.

5. — A song by the students of ^the
Woman's Union College.

Representatives of fourteen different
organizations then presented their
greetings to the audience through
their appointed delegates. These
delegates mounted the platform and
read a short statement, which was
handed to the chairman with the
cards of the members. These state-
ments were usually pointed, brief,
congratulations on the arrival of that
day. They were read in the following
order : —

I. North Congregational Church.
2. Methodist Episcopal Mission. 3.
Roman Catholic Church 4. London
Mission, East City. 5. Greek Ecclesi-
astical Mission. 6. London Mission,
West City. 7. American Board Mis-
sion, Teng Shih K'ou. 8. Anglican
Mission. 9. American Board Mission,
Tungchou. 10. Union Theological
Seminary. 11. Chinese Young Men's
Christian As.sociation. 12. Presby-
terian Mission. 13. Union Medical
College. The School for the Chinese
Blind failed to send a delegate or be
pre.se nt.

During the reading songs were
interspersed. A quartette of two
foreign ladies, Mrs. Gailey and INIiss
Baugh, and two gentlemen, Dr. Hall
and Mr. Frolich, rendered a song
which was hig\ily appreciated. Two
Chinese from the Roman Catholic
Cathedral rendered a song, one
officiating at the organ. The Tung-
chou College students and the Greek
Christians each sang a song. The
singing of the Greeks was greatly
enjoyed. Their leader had a heavy
bass voice which would be remarkable
in any company of singers. A small
boy among their number was remark-
able for the richness and range of his
singing.

After the cards handed in by the
delegates had been pinned or pasted
in a frame, the whole audience rose
and repeated three times the word
" Hallelujah, " which was followed by
the Greek Christians doing the same
in their own stately music. The
Greek priest was called upou to close

the meeting, but he modestly declined,
saying that lie was not worthy of such
a function. 'ihe benediction was
finallj' pronounced by Rev. S. Evans
Meech, of the London Mission

Thus ended this meeting which,
from beginning to end, was thrillingly
interesting and uplifting. It is hoped
now that the beginning has been
made that it may become au auuual
occurrence.

The American Bible Society
in Japan

GENERAI. CONDITIONS

The work of Bible distribution for
the 3'ear 1907 has been attended by
much of interest and encouragement.
As the years go by the people of
Japan are coming more and more to
look upon Christianity as the only
religion that is adapted to meet the
needs of all mankind as well as
supplying a basis for the highest tj'pe
of civilization. The work done here
too is not for the Japanese alone, but
in Tokyo is found a field that has
nothing like it in history. For this
re ison what is done now for the
spread of the Go.spel is going to have
its influence on other aud contiguous
nations as well.

The most important event of the
year in connection with the Chris-
tianizatiou of the country was the
World's Student Federation Con-
ference held in Tokyo, April 3rd, 1907.
In a report given by Bishop Honda
he says ; " Tlie attention heaped upon
the Conference by men of affairs aud
statesmen made a profound impres-
sion, for although such courtesies
would be expected in the case of a
secular organization, it was extraor-
dinary for a Christian Assembly to
be so honored. It demonstrated that
in essentials Christian forces are one
and indivisible."

President Ibuka, educator and Chris-
tian leader, declares: "Six months
after the Federation Conference I find
no reason to change my opinion as
expressed last spring when I said that
the Conference was an event ia the
history of Christianity in the Far
East, for which we should be pro-
foundly thankful. One result of the
Conference is the greater friendliness
and openmindedness on the part of the
public toward Christianity. It went
a long waj' to break down the old,
deep rooted prejudice agaiusl the

f66

The Chinese Recorder

[March

name of Jesus that still lingers in the
popular niiiul."

One of the travelling secretaries of
the Y. M C. Association expresses
his conviction that the Federaiion
Conference produced many results
which it is hard to tabulate. For
instance, there is now an unprecedent-
ed welcome everywhere for Christian
workers and the Christian message
While it is not effusive, it is genuine
and lasting Christian speakers are
welcome in schools ; officials and
teachers and men of affairs all listen
gladly to conversation about Chris-
tianity, and there is a demand for
good Christian books and magazines,
such as has never been known.

THE VISIT OF GEXERAL BOOTH

An account of the visit of Gen.
Booth has been published by one of
the members of the Salvation Army,
in which the author says: "The
Kimino Hikari perhaps voices the
general feeling, ' No other person in
private life ever visited this country
who was so enthusiastically received
by the Japanese people as was General
Booth. His public meetings every-
where were crowded to overflowing,
and both the high and the lowly, the
old and the young, seemed to vie
with each other in doing him homage.
.... It is perhaps true also that no
other person after so brief a stay here
ever left so lastingan impression on the
nation for good as did the General.' "

Part of an editorial in the Kokumitt
Shimbim of April 17 runs as follows : —
The enthusiastic welcome accorded to
General Booth by distinguished men
outside the Salvation Army is a source
of gratification and also of surprise.
It is characteristic of the Army that it
is practical without indulging in any
vain thinking. Its success depends
upon these three elements : First,
religious enthusiasm and the funda-
mental principle of committing every-
thing to God's care. Second, military
organization; and Third, the business-
like spirit pervading the whole Army.
The fact that all these elements
happen to be combined in the charac-
ter of General Booth is, we believe,
the reason why the Army has attained
its present position.

CHRISTIAN TEACHERS l»OR GOVERN-
MENT SCHOOLS

An important and significant devel-
opment of opportunities for good is
the supplying of American college
graduates to teach English in Japanese
goverument schools. Their earnest-

ness and sympathy, as well as ability,
have won the confidence and esteem
of the pupils and their associate
teachers so as to give them a large
and valuable sphere of influence.
There is no hindrance to their teach-
ing Bible classes and doing other
Christian work out of school hours.
The result is the instruction of large
numbers of those students in the
truths of the Bible and also breaking
down prejudice. Tlie value of such
work may be realized in part when we
learn that during the year 1906-7 the
fifty-three Bible classes taught by
them had an average attendance of
646, of whom sixty seven received
baptism, and there were 178 inquirers.

SALES ON THE STREETS OF TOKYO

One of the best evidences of the
real and increasing demand for the
Word of God is the remarkable sales
that have been made in Tokyo by Mr.
J. r. Whitney, who has taken up this
work as a means of evangelization
and has found it successful beyond
all his expectations. At first he met
with some discouragement, and had
difficulty in securing a suitable loca-
tion. But through the kindness and
assistance of the officials he has been
able to go forward, and since last
summer has sold during only two
evenings of each week 4,314 Testa-
ments, of which 1,028 were sold in
December alone One evening in
October he sold 167 Testaments, and
another evening 170.

One Japanese gentleman came up
and bought a copy of the F^nglish and
Japanese Testaments, and after look-
ing at them for some time, gave him
one yen. The price was but five sen
each, and he refused to take any
change, but said : " Give the value of
the balance to the people."

AMONG THE SOLDIERS

Mrs. J. K. McCauley writes : " Many
thanks for the last grant of Scripture
portions. On Christmas day many
of the children in the day-schools
came to hear the recitations and enjoy
the Christmas treat, and at the same
time I gave a portion to each of them.
I have also given many to soldiers, of
whom some can speak English ; a few
of them are Christians, and all are
anxious to receive them.

*' They begin reading just as soon
as they receive them. Having some-
thing to direct their minds aright
ma}' keep many a soul from wander-
ing into the paths of sin."

1908]

Missionary News

169

IN A LRPER HOSPITAI,

Mrs. McCauley writes further :
" Yesterday we celebrated our Christ-
mas event at the Lepers ' Home,
and our hearts were made glad to see
what the I5ible had done for them.
The spirit of heaven shone forth in
all their exercises and the light of
glory made the poor disfii^ured count-
enances still beautiful with a beauty
not of earth."

IN THE MILITARY HO.SPITAL

One of the missionaries writes : " A
few days ago I went to see a cadet
who first began to read the Bible
when sick witli pneutnonia a year ago.
In the meanwhile he had been back
at school, and while there had tried
to live out its teachings.

" This spring he had a relapse, and
was back again in the cadet's ward,
where his fondness for Christian
hymns set the others to singing. Rut
on this special day I found that he
had been sent to the ward for those
dangerously ill. There had been a
sudden change for the worse. He
was too ill to read or sing, but he
listened with a smile, whicli I shall
never forget, to the words of Jesus,
• In my father's house are many man-
sions. If it were not so I would have
told you, and I go to prepare a place
for you. I will come again and re-
ceive you unto myself

"I did not like to wait a whole
week for the next visit, so went the
first day possible, but the orderly met
me at the door to tell me that the
young life had ended the day before.
He said the cadet's brother, who had
been with him, had been called away,
so the cadet died quite alone.

" I said : ' Why did you not send for
me. I had kuown him for a j'ear, and
would gladly have come. He must
have felt sadl}' lonely,' "

" ' No,' the orderly said, 'I do not
think he was lonely. We rarely see
a death like his in the ward. His
mind was clear to the end, and he
seemed perfectly satisfied and at
peace. I think he must have had the
peace of God in his heart.' "

" We talk of nothing else but re-
ligion, one of them told me last
Monday; and indeed I found that
thej' were all discussing among them-
selves the question of God's existence
and man's duty, the way to be saved
from sin and the meaning of ever-
lasting life."

Miss L,. INI. Povvel, of Sendai, writes :
" Many thanks for the donation of

Gospels and Bibles. We have received
permission to have a Christmas service
in the military hospital for four suc-
cessive years. The authorities are
very glad for it and the soldiers most
appreciative. God had wonderfully
blessed our labors in this direction.
It results in many men reading
Bibles, singing hymns and attending
church. A number have been baptiz-
ed and a great multitude have had
theii prejudice removed ; and thus
the work with the next generation
will be easier. Many many thanks
to you."

SOWING THR SKKD OK THR WORD

Miss L. J. Wirick writes : " The last
box of Gospels you sent were greatly
appreciated. We gave them all out
at the railway station to the people
who were going to their homes in the
country. They listen very earnestly
to the ' Sweet Old Story,' and re-
ceive the Gospel gladly.

" It is a wonderful opportunity to
sow the seeds of truth and put the
Gospel into the hearts and homes in
the country. We are not able to
estimate the power of the Word in the
hearts of those ready waiting people.
The time has come when they are
asking for it ; and when given to them
returns for the Master's Kingdom are
seen in a very short time."

HOW THE SEED GROWS

" A man took a copy of the New
Testament to his home in a lonely
country place, where the Gospel had
never been heard of, but like leaven,
it began to work, and in less than
six months' time one young man had
given his heart to God ; and through
bis earnest labors twentj-five now
meet every week to study the Bible,
besides reading it in their homes
regularly every day. The doctor of
the village and the principal of the
public school are both deeply con-
cerned about the truth. The doctor
has given his rooms for them to meet
in every week."

LIGHT FOR THE BLIND

" And to none has the Gospel
brought more hope and comfort than
to the dear blind men whom I have
been teaching in the Institution for
the Blind. At first I taught only
soldiers who had lost their ej-es iu
the war. But others came asking
that they might study with us. One
has lately accepted Christ as his Savior
and others are very near the Kiugdom.

170

The Chinese Recorder

[March

" The Gospels tliat you have donat-
ed to them in raised letter have been
read most eagerly. Hour after hour,
while sittin}{ in darkness in this world,
they are getting the light of Christ's
everlasting truth and love by the
touch of the fingers. "

HUNGERING FOR THE WORD

A man writes from the country :
" My son was a soldier in the late
war and took part in the attack on
the 203 Meter Hill at Port Arthur;
and later in the battle at Mukden, in
which he was wounded and after-
wards sent home. While receiving
treatment in the hospital he was
given the Gospels of Mattliew and
John and a tract entitled ' What the
greatest men think of the Bible and
Christianity.' His life was spared,
but he is left a cripple, with the books
which were given to him by you.

" I have read the books, and have
been so impressed by the greatness of
Jesus Christ that the desire to read
the whole Testament is becoming
stronger every day. I have tried to
give it up because I am poor and can-
not afford to buy any costly book,
but the desire has become irresistible.
I therefore ask you to please let tne
know the price of the Holy Scriptures,
so that I may procure a copy."

CIRCULATION OF ENGIJSH
SCRIPTURES

One item of interest is the increas-
ing demand for the English Scrip-
tures. The sale of English Bibles in
1906 was 1,139 and Testaments 4,482.
In 1907 it was 1,203 Bibles and 5,891
Testaments. It is one indication of
general enlightenment that is going
on in the country ; and with it the
breaking down of prejudice and the
opening of the way for the Gospel of
Christ.

CIRCULATION. 1907

Bibles, 6,571 ; Testaments, 41,400;
Parts, 43,129. Total, 91,100.

H. LOOMIS.

The Month

The troubles outstanding between
China and Japan grow in seriousness.
Both in regard to Manchuria and
Korea feelinjj has intensified, and dif-
ficulty in regard to the Fakumen
railway has been added. Complaints

are made that in Manchuria the
Japanese are behaving badly to the
Chinese and the populace esteem the
presence of the Japanese a greater
burden than was that of the Russians.
It is reported that after the war the
Japanese who settled in Manchuria
were of an undesirable class. This
class is uncivil on the rail and insolent
in the streets and is charged with
acquiring Chinese property by force
inajeur without compensation The
Japanese officials are also said to be
slow in punishing offenders brought
before them. The good faith of
Japan in Manchuria is being seriously
questioned in Peking.

Japan has refused to notice the
protest of China against the telegraph
and postal system established by
Japan without her consent in Man-
churia. Viceroy Hsu is reported to
have received instructions to proceed
to Peking to discuss with the Wai-
wupu these and other outstanding
difficulties.

Korean affairs are still pending
settlement. The Island of Chientao,
the suzerainty of which has for cen-
turies been in dispute between China
and Korea, but which latterly had
lapsed to China, is still occupied by
both Japanese and Chinese troops and
officials. It is thought that the
difficulty will be surmounted by mak-
ing the island a treaty port. Korea
itself seems quieting down.

The emigration question seems to
have come nearer solution during the
month. Japan has given explicit
assurance that she will exercise greater
control over emigrants for Canada.
Steps are being taken in Japan to
prevent the issue of fraudulent
emigration certificates. It is reported
that the Japanese immigrants to the
United States in January , 1908, number-
ed only 971 as compared with 5,000 in
the same month last year. Japan has
agreed to the voluntary restriction of
emigration to the States within speci-
fied limits. She has also consented to
the prohibition of Japanese emigration
to Mexico.

China has prohibited the indenture
of Chinese labour by the Germans for
Samoa. In South Africa the attempt
to exclude all Asiatics continues ; some
modification of the registration laws
is announced, and it is thought that

1908]

Missionary News

171

pressure will be bronpht to bear upon
the ■ Transvaal lej^islature by tlie
llritish Imperial authoritie« in favour
of Indian subjects. A Convention of
Asiatic Exclusion Leagues lias re-
cently been held at Seattle, where a
proposal to address a memorial to
Conj^ress demanding the absolute ex-
clusion of Orientals was adopted.

The details of the Chekiang Rail-
way loan are still unsettled. Nego-
tiations have been re-opened since
China New Year. The present out-
standing difliculty in railway progress
concerns the Cliinese-RIanchurian rail-
way from Hsin-ming-tun to Fakumen.
The Japanese contend that the exten-
sion of this railway is a breach of an
agreement made securing their rail-
ways in Manchuria freedom from
coni petition. The question also con-
cerns Great Britain, as British capital
is largely concerned in the proposed
undertaking. German engineers are
being engaged for the proposed Tien-
tsin-Piikou railway and the route is to
be surveyed in IMay next. Chingkiang
merchants are appealing against the
decision to make a point opposite
Nanking the terminus of the rail-
way. A son of n. E. Yuan Shih-kai
is conferring with high officials in Pe-
king on the question of raising TIs.
800,000 for the proposed Ilonan rail-
way. H. E. Liu Shao-nien, Governor
of Honan, has asked permission to
increase the salt likin to supply the
lack of funds for the carrj'ing out of
the construction of the Loyang-Tung-
kuan Railway. It is reported from
Japan that Mr. C. W. Kinder, of the
Chinese Imperial Railways, is to
succeed Dr. Haraguchi as railway
adviser to the Viceroy of Hunan and
Hupeh. Work is begun in Wuchang
on the Hankow-Canton line.

The German government proposed
to devote 375,000 marks in this year's
budget for the establishmetit of a
university for Chinese students in
Kiaochow. The grant was reduced in
the Reichstag to 50,000 marks for
preliminary expenses. The British
troops have evacuated the Chumbi
valley under the agreetnent with Rus-
sia whereby Thibet becomes neutral
territory to both countries. The
Chinese propose to make of Thibet
a province and to change the form of
government there. It is alleged that
China is hoping to receive some as-
sistance in her difficulties with Japan
by the presence of the coming Ameri-

can fleet in Chinese waters. China is
proposing to start a steamship service
on the Upper Yangtze in order to
prevent the accomplishment of a
similar plan on the parr of the French.
An international question has been
raised by the seizure, on the charge of
smuggling firearms into South China,
of the Japanese steamer y'a/sn Marti.
The steamer is being held in Canton.
She is said to have been chartered by
a German firm in Hongkong. The
Japanese government have demanded
her release.

Prince Chun and Prince Su, two
enlightened Manchu princes, have
requested permission from the Em-
pre.ss-Dowager to proceed abroad to
study the naval administration of
Western nations. This permission
has been given, and the princes will
leave in the spring. The Japanese
Admiralty has decided to allow Chi-
nese naval students who graduate
from the Tokio Marine School to be
distributed on Japanese war ships for
practical training. The superintend-
ent of Chinese students in Europe
has reported that these students are
tempted to three bad ideas, viz., i, to
be hostile to the Imperial family ; 2,
to change their religious belief; 3,
to join with Socialists. — The Wai-
wupu has wired to the Chinese
Ministers abroad to report upon any
changes in the religious affairs of the
various Powers during last j-ear.
Owing to the prevalence of bandits
in Kiangsu and Chekiang, Viceroy
Tuan Fang has given instructions to
all officials to make provision for the
protection of the lives and property
of all foreign missionaries.

Owing to the increasing number of
disputes between foreign missionaries
and the natives over the purchase of
houses and lands in the interior of
Liangkuang provinces, the Viceroy
has instructed all the magistrates to
issue proclamations that in future no
person or persons shall be allowed to
sell their houses or lands to foreign
missions without first advertising the
intended sale in the Chinese news-
papers. This measure is expressly
designed to avoid complications with
the Powers. The Japanese Minister
in Peking has requested the Waiwupu
to instruct the authorities at Swatow
and Huangkang to remove the inter-
diction placed upon the Japanese Bud-
dhist temples, which were recently
closed by the authorities.

172

The Chinese Recorder

[March

The Independence of the
Native Church.*

KEV. HRNRY N. COBB, D.D., SECRE-
TARY KEFORMKD CHURCH IN
AMERICA.

It may seem to be stating a truism
to say that the establishment in every
mission field of a native church,
possessing full powers of self-govern-
ment, maintenance and extension, is
the ultimate aim of foreign mission
effort. This is not to ignore the high
aim of the salvation of individual
souls through the knowledge of Christ
and by the power of His Spirit. It is,
rather, to seek provision for their
salvation in numbers and by influ-
ences not possible to efforts or agencies
supplied by other and foreign church-
es and directed from abroad.

That such a native church, once
established, should be independent of
foreign direction and control, seems
to follow of necessity. Its claim and
right to such independence— to com-
plete autonomy— within its own
sphere, cannot be successfully disput-
ed or denied. Probably there is no
one conversant with the facts and
principles involved, and interested in
the life and growth of the church,
who would care to dispute the claim.
It should be free, under the guidance
of the Holy Spirit, to frame its own
statements of Christian faith and
doctrine, its own principles and rules
of church order and government, its
own methods and agencies for church
extension and Gospel propaganda.

Only an independent church, con-
trolled and directed from within and
not from without, can properly per-
form its functions and discharge its
obligations to the as yet unevangelized
people in the midst of which it lives
and grows. Only such a church can
fully enlist the zeal and devotion and
fire the holy ambition of its ministers
and members. Only such a church
can find its true and normal develop-
ment along the lines of national and
racial character and circumstance.

In the establishment and independ-
ence of every such church we should
rejoice that a new vine has been
planted in the Lord's world-vineyard,
that shall " grow from its own root,"
stretch forth its branches and bear
fruit " after its kind," to the glory of

* This extract is part of an address delivered
before the last Conference of Foreign Mission
Boards of the U. States and Canada. Its
argument was particularly applied to the
problem of the Christiau Japanese Church.

Christ and the salvation of men. We
should respect inviolably its autono-
my, and so adjust our methods of
operation, if we still continue to work
within its bounds and in connection
with it, as to show that we respect it
as completely and hearlily as we
desire our own to be respected.

If this were all that is involved in
the subject assigned me, I might here
conclude, and perhaps ought to apolo-
gize for presenting it to yott at all. _

But there is another view of in-
dependence— another definition, if
you please— entirely apart from auto-
nomy, complete as that may be. A
really independent church, so far as
government is concerned, may yet,
through weakness, lack of means or
forces, or by reason of peculiar historic
conditions and environment, be still
dependent on the help of others, even
foreign churches and workers, and on
the means they are better able to
supply, for the "ability to carry on its
proper and necessary work.

Slowly the Church takes root. It
grows strong and flourishes, becomes
vigorous, self-conscious, independent,
rightly self-assertive. In other words
it "finds itself." What now is the
relation of missions and missionaries
still present, to this church which is
the goal of their endeavor as its es-
tablishment has been the object of
their prayers and labours, the purpose
of their 'lives? This is the crux of
the situation and,ifIamnot mistaken,
the reason why this subject has been
presented for consideration.

If such a church is able, financially
and otherwise, to bear its own burdens
and discharge its own responsibility
for further evangelization , there would
seem to be little or no room for
question, reluctant as we may be to
admit it, that the time has come for
the churches abroad to withdraw their
missions and missionaries, or transfer
them to other fields where their pres-
ence is still needed. It has been
truly said that it is the peculiar charac-
teristic of the foreign missionary
enterprise that it looks to and works
for its own effacement.

Where this is not the case, and the
time has not come, apparentlj'-, for
the missions to withdraw, certain
practical questions will necessarily
arise. Many of these can only be
intelligently adjusted by those on the
field, with such wisdom, insight,
patience and brotherly love as may
be given them of God. But there are
certain principles, as to which I hope
we may be most of us, if not all,

1908]

Missionary Journal

173

agreed, that Should govern siicli ad-
justment.

I. In the process of the evolution of
such a church as we are considering,
the relation of the missions and mis-
sionaries to it and to the whole work
of evangelization, undergoes a gradual
and at lengtli a complete change. In
the beginning they were principals,
necessarily so There was no one to
do anything in the line of Gospel
teaching and effort, if they did not do
it. In process of time, and by the
blessing of God, men raised up from
among the people are brought into
their service or associated with them —
■"helpers" — so styled and such in
fact. The direction is with the mis-
sions and missionaries. As time
passes on such men may arise in
sufficient numbers, with sufficient
qualifications of character, ability,
training and spiritual life and ]X)wer,
to associate on equal terms with the
members of the missions to which
they have been drawn ; to become
the nucleus and in time the leaders,
of the church in process of establish-
ment. But when such a stage is
reached as the erection of a church,
duly organized, with all the attributes
of independence, the original relation
is precisely reversed. The Church
becomes the principal and the missions
jire the helpers. It may not be easy
for human nature to accept the situa-
tion and take second place. But such
is the fact, and we cannot ignore it
without harm and loss to the cause
we most desire to advance.

2. The relation of the missions,
and the methods they employ, should

be distinctly such as shall minister to
the further growth of the Church, in
strength, to the full measure of a real
independence of all foreign aid, and
so to advaiice through it the Kingdom
of Christ in the land where it is
planted and throughout the world.

3. So far as the general direction
of work intended for such advance-
ment of the Church is concerned,
aflfecting its own highest interests
and within its own domain 01 sphere
of operation, the right of the Church
would seem to be incontestable. Its
ministers and members are native to
the soil, as we are not. They com-
prehend the national thought and are
imbued with the national spirit. They
are likely to have a better apprehen-
sion of the work and more intimate
knowledge of the conditions under
which it is to l)e done, the relative
needs of different portions of the field,
the character, motives and qualifica-
tions of the agents employed

4. Above all other tliiugs, our
relation to siich a church and the
Viet hod of our service should be such
as siiall not even .seem to substitute a
mere money power — a financial conr
trol— for the ecclesiastical power
which it is impossible for us to exer.-
cise, and which would be every wav
undesirable if it were po.ssible. Of all
powers in tiie Church of Christ, the
money power is the most offensive
and destructive of all that is best and
most desirable. Such a church might
well say to us, should we attempt
to exercise it, as God forbid we
should — "Thy money perish with
thee."

Missionary Journal.

BIRTHS.

ATSiangyang, Hupeh.Dt-cember 14th,
1907, to Rev. and Mrs. C. J. Nki.-
.SON, Sw. Am. Mis. Covenant, a
daughter (P' ranees).

At T'aiku, Shansi, 25th Jauu^r\-. to
Dr. and Mrs. W. A. Hkminc.w.ay,
.\. R. C. F. M., a daughter (Isa-
bella).

At Pakou, loth February, to Mr. and
Mrs. E. J. Tharp, a son.

A.'C.SUaugh.ai..I.Oth February, to Rev.
and Mrs. F. J. Whitr, A. B. M. U.,
a son (Henry Gill)ert).

At Nodoa, 1 2th February, to Dr.

:ind Mrs J. Frank Kelly, A. P.

M., a son.
.\T Shanghai, 29th February, to Rev.

and .Mrs H. W. Provence, S B. C,

a daughter.

MARRIAGES.

.\T Hongkong, 2Sth December, 1907,

Rev. Philip Rkes, W. M. M.,

Wuchow, to Miss Ethkl Craskk,

of Chelsea, London,

AT Shanghai, 21st Januarv, HERBERT

■ Stan'Lkv RKni^RRN, M. Sc., E. M.

174

The Chinese Recorder

[March, 1908

F. C. M., Ningpo, to Miss Mar-
GAKKT Blanch Mklvii.i.e Jonks.

At Hoii^'^koiiK', 30th Jamuiry, Rev.
Thomas Robin.-,on. W. M M.,
Shiucliowfu. to Miss Isabkli.a
Hothvvkm-. h M. S , noiiKkoiijf.

At lyaii}?, Hunan, ist P^ebniai y. Rev.
Andkks Fi.hischkk to Miss Pktka
Ut.SAKKK, both of Nor. M S.

At Shanghai, i6tli February, Rev.
Kknist Fkank Smith. B. M. S.,
Sianfu, to Mi^s Maky Elizabeth

HoKST.

At Sliuighai. i6tli Febniary, Dr.

HkKBKUT STAM.KV Ji'NKINS, R M.

S., Sianfu, to Miss M. L. (Daisy)

Dover ID ;r
At Shaniihai, 17th February, Rev.

l." A M E K 0 .S' F A K Q U H A K IM C R A E tO
Mi-iS S'.RAH NiCOIL WUODWAKD,

both of A P K C. M.
At Shan<j;hai, ajtb February, Rev.
John W. Nichoi,.s to Miss Jui.ia
VVooDWAKD, both of A. P. E. C. M.

ARRIVALS.

At Hongkono : —

I2tb December, Miss A. Perkins,
W M S

27th December, Rev and Mrs. E
DEW.STOK, W. M. S. (ret.)

At Shanghai : —

iitb December, Rev. Sydney G.
Adams, A. B, ]\1. U (ret.)

l8tb Jauuary, Miss L L. Phelps,
Rev. K H. Fitzgerald, both A. P.
E. C. M.

2nd February, Dr. J H. Pykh, M.
E. M.; Miss R. Wilson, S. P. M.
(ret).

loth Februar}', Misses A. and E.
ACKKR.SON, for the Sw Am. Mission.

nth I'tbruary, Miss M. E Wood,
A. P E C M.

15th Ft-bruiry, ^Misses Boardley
and MURFiTT, for the E. M F. C. M.;

IMisses LovRRiDGE and BorsT for In
B M. S ; Rev C. S Mintv, W M S.;
Rev. W A CORNABY, C L S (ret.);
Mr. and Mrs. W. A. H. Moule, C. M.
S. (ret ).

24th February. Rev and Mrs. Geo.
HuD.soN and family. Rev. and Mrs.
Hugh White and family, Dr and
Mrs Geo C. Worth and family,
all S. P. M and all returning ; Rev.
and Mrs R Stockman, for A. P E.
C M ; Dr. and Mrs C. H Barlow,
for A B INI U.; Mrs. J. B Fe.\rn
and Miss E. D. Leveritt, for M. E.
M., S. (ret.)-

25th February, Rev. and Mrs. C. S.
C H A M P N ESS ( ret . ) .

261 li February. Rt Rev. Bishop H.
J :\IoLONY, D.D., Bishop iu Mid-
China.

departures.

From Hongkong : —

I5tli January. Rev. S G. ToPH, W,
M. M., for England.

From Shanghai : —

2ist January Mr. AUG. KarlSSON,
C I. M , for Sweden.

24th January, Mr. and Mrs PTecTOR
McLean, C. I. M., from Rangoon,
for Europe.

2nd Februarv. Rev. W W. Gibson.
W M. S for England

8th February. VI r and Mrs. J. G.
Kauderer and family, C. I. M., for
Germany

1 2th February, Mr. J. F. ScoTT and
Dr Jean Dow, C P. M., for Canada.

l8ih Februarv, Miss A. A. HarT,
C. I M, for England; Mrs. C. W.
Pruitt and family, Dr J B HarT-
WELL, Miss A. Hartwell, all of S.
B C , for U S A ; Rev. S. CoULiNG,
B M S ; Ven. Archdeacon and Mrs.
A. E. .MouLE and Rev H. G. Ckab-
TREE, C. M S.. for England.

We are requested to announce that the position of Agent for
the Ckntral China Religious Tract Society, Hankow, will
fall vacant at the end of March. The Executive Committee are
prepared to entertain applications from candidates for the post.
The financial arrangements are liberal, and the situation is one that
offers wide scope for useful service to a missionary of literary and
executive ability.

All particulars will be supplied on application to the Rev. G. A.
Clayton, Secy., C. C. R. T. S., Haukow.

The West China Conference at Ch'engtu

BY REV. A. H. SMITH, D. D.

SEVERAL months before this gathering (from January 26th
— February 2nd) meetings of delegates to consider what
can be done toward federation and a closer union of
mission interests had been held during the summer or autumn
in the provinces of Chihli, Honan, Shantung and Hunan. But
the late Conference, representing the provinces of Ssuch'uan,
Yunnan and Kueichou, differed from them in being the second
in a series, the first of which was held more than ten years ago,
after the return from the temporary exile imposed upon all
missionaries by the riots of 1895. In the recent meeting, federa-
tion, although the most prominent topic occupying all of one
day, was but one among many. The importance of the
occasion was evidenced by the large attendance at a time of
year when travel is not attractive, involving also long absences
from home and from work. At least one delegate travelled four
weeks to be present, two others three weeks apiece, and many
others almost as long. There are approximately 350 mission-
aries in the three provinces grouped under the not entirely
accurate name of "West China. " Yunnan and Kueichou each
sent one man only, but the total number of outside delegates
was in the neighborhood of 130, making, with the residents of
the capital, an attendance of about 180. Ch'engtu is a city of
great distances and the missions are widely scattered, but every
morning at 9 there was a goodly attendance at the earnest
devotional service conducted by Mr. W. B. Sloan, sent out to
China from Keswick for this and like occasions. In continuity
of impression and in sustained interest this opening hour was
of far greater value than the similar period at the Shanghai
Centennial, where the almost fatal mistake was committed of
trying to make a place for too many speakers with unrelated
topics. It was fortunate that Dr. Canright's new hospital
building in the compound of the American Methodist Mission
was sufficiently finished to be placed at the disposal of the
Conference, for whose uses it proved in general admirably
adapted, although the meeting place was too crowded for com-
fort, and adequate ventilation impossible. Following the
precedent set last year at Shanghai, the Acting Governor-
General, H. E. Chao Erh-feng, sent one of the most enlightened

184 The Chinese Recorder [April

and progressive officials in the province, Chou Taotai, to repre-
sent him in an address of welcome. (It is due to the initiative
and energy of Taotai Chou that Ch'engtu has recently been
freed from the nuisance of beggars, who are arrested, at first con-
fined in yards, where they are organized into squads of laborers,
taught trades, and the children compelled to work and prevented
from begging. A like reform has been brought about in the
other large city of Ssuch'uan, Chungking.)

A committee of seven was appointed to wait upon the
Governor-General to present the greetings of the Conference
and to explain to him its object, and in general that of its
members in coming to China. The committee was accompained
by Mr. Fox, the British Consul -General, and was very cour-
teously received. On the following day His Excellency returned
the call, and not only allowed himself to be photographed
with the committee, but also entered the Conference and made
a short address to its members. Both he and the Taotai laid
stress upon the supreme importance of keeping bad men out of
the church. " The church cannot hurt rascals, but rascals can
hurt the church." It was evident that the present strained
relations between the Roman Catholics and Protestants in West
China are a source of serious anxiety to the highest officials.

The general topic of the first day was the changed conditions
in China, upon which papers were read and addresses made,
but the usual experience of conventions was repeated in not
leaving time enough for discussion. There was a profound
conviction manifested that a new era requires new methods.
The second day was given to a consideration of evangelistic
work and the training of preachers, which was felt to be the
central problem, and the keenest interest was exhibited.

Wednesday was educational day ; the advanced steps
already taken in West China toward union rendering this a
vital issue. The West China missionaries are thoroughly in
earnest, and in readiness to co-operate in practice as well as in
theory are probably in advance of those in any other part of the
Empire.

This was made obvious on the fourth day, when the burn-
ing question of "union or federation" was the theme, in-
troduced by strong papers with great breadth of view. The
practical question lying at the threshold was the interchange
of members of Chinese churches, and while this was a subject
for individuals and not for the Conference, representatives of all

1908] The West China Conference at Ch'engtu 185

the missions expressed their cordial adherence to the principle,
which indeed contains within itself the "promise and potency"
of union.

After thorough discussion, first in large committees and then
as a body, the Conference with unanimity adopted as its ideal
one Protestant Christian church for West China. The matter
is entrusted to a numerous and representative committee to
report next year, but one can hardly doubt that substantial
union of some sort is not remote. A day was given to medical
work and to the changes in the "Advisory Board," a body of
varied functions, and wide usefulness, in organizing which West
China has long since taken a most essential and practical step,
while others elsewhere have sat "shivering on the brink."

Much interest was exhibited in the virile work of the
West China Tract Society, which seems to have before it a
great future.

On the last day several topics were given place, the most
important being the reasons for the antagonism between
church and people and how to remove it. In this connection
it is to be remembered that after 1900-1, when it became evident
that the church is inextinguishable, thousands flocked to its
standards, opening chapels and forming "churches" of their
own, in which gambling and lawsuits often had large place.
This evil is even yet not entirely overcome. Far the most
interesting contribution to the Conference was the account by
Mr. Pollard of the phenomenal work among the Huamiao
tribes in Yunnan, which, as Bishop Bashford remarked in his in-
spiring closing address, carried us back to the acts of the Apostles.
The Sunday night service in which, under Bishop Bashford's
leadership, Methodists, Baptists, English and American friends,
Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and members of the Church
of England all united in a service of holy communion, is not
likely to be soon forgotten, As the noon meal for all attendants
was served at the place of meeting it was almost impossible for
them not to become acquainted, and actual familiarity of itself
settles many perplexing questions. The Advisory Board and
the big Educational Committee are taking hold of their new
problems by the nub end. Within a few years we shall see the
Ch'engtu Union University an accomplished fact, and some
form of church union adopted which will not improbably be
an advance upon anything yet known in this Empire. As at
Shanghai during the Centennial the most prominent feature of

186 The Chinese Recorder [April

the gathering was the manifestation of a spirit of unity and of
hope. The Conference had the audacity to call for about
fifteen himdred men and women for its own field, and for the
20,000,000 of the "Tribes " as well as Thibetans. Such a call
should be as the sound of a trumpet to the churches at home
and to all Christians to work and to prayer.

The Second West China Missionary Conference

BY REV. J. L. STEWART, CHENTU

TEN years ago a little band of workers met in the city
of Chungking forming the first West China Conference.
Those were days of unrest and danger ; at least one
missionary almost losing his life as he returned to his home from
the gathering. Few in number though they were at that time
they set agoing two far reaching forces for the establishment
of the Kingdom in these three provinces. The first was the start-
ing of the West China Missionary News^ which continues from
month to month to inform, encourage and keep fervent the feel-
ing that we are one family in Him. The second was the establish-
ment of the West China Advisory Board, where, annually, duly
appointed members of the nine missions at work in these provinces
come together for prayer, counsel and united effort for service.

To this body it seemed highly advisable that, a sufficient
time having intervened for the thorough appreciation of the
actions of the great Centenary Conference, a second Conference
should be called for West China to seek means of applying the
principles laid down by the Shanghai gathering. Accordingly
a committee and various sub-committees have been at work
during the past six months. The thoroughness of their pre-
paration was abundantly attested by the well-conducted Con-
ference which has just closed at Chentu after a session, in all, of
nine days— January 25th to February 2nd' — the Conference proper
lasting from Monday, January 27th, to Saturday, February ist.

For several days before the opening date delegates began to
arrive. By Saturday the billeting committee was at its wit's
end, as the perfect sunshine persuaded many to decide at the
last moment to attend ; a few strangers also coming in unexpect-
edly. The proverbial hospitality of the Chentu community
was, however, equal to the emergency, and all were made wel-
come and comfortably quartered.

1908] The Second West China Missionary Conference 187

The meetings of the Conference were held in the chapel
of the splendid new M. E. M. hospital ; the whole of the lower
and much of the second floor having been put at the disposal
of the gathering through the kindness of Dr. Canright and his
mission. Various wards were set apart for parlors, committee
rooms, cloak rooms, post office, secretary's and other offices.
One wing was entirely devoted to the missionary exhibit, in
which were arranged Thibetan curios, educational books,
pupils' work, school plans and pictures, Bible society and press
exhibits, women's work, adaptation of scientific appliances,
drawings and various other suggestive methods of work. An-
other wing was used as a dining hall, where daily the hostesses
of the city invited the Conference to partake of the midday
meal. This, in addition to its convenience, proved itself a rare
source of social enjoyment, converting the various missions into
one family of good fellowship.

The social side of the Conference was also given an ex-
cellent start at the reception on Monday evening held in the
C. M. M. girls' school. West China does not lack for musical
talent, and this, together with the sallies of wit and wisdom
of various speakers, made the missionary forget his toils and
travel and set all in good humor for the coming days.

Chinese services were held each Sunday morning in the
several churches and union meetings in the afternoons. In the
evenings the services were in English, and proved to be times
of deep earnestness and inspiration for service. Throughout the
Conference sessions the opening hour from 9 to 10 a.m. was
given over to devotional meetings. These were led by Mr. W.
B. Sloan, of the C. I. M., London, whose tact, intense loyalty
to our common Lord, and deep insight into things eternal, made
an appeal which must long continue to fill and thrill the hearts
of his hearers.

Through the good offices of H. B. M. Consul-General, Mr.
H. H. Fox, the Conference was brought into most amicable
relations with the Chinese authorities. His Excellency Chao
Erh-feng very graciously received a delegation from the Con-
ference, sent his greeting through Chao Taotai and later came
in person to visit the gathering, paying the Protestant mission-
aries not a few nicely turned compliments.

But these were but the usual adjuncts to such a gathering.
The Conference proper met on Saturday evening for a pre-
liminary business session. Arrangements were made for reporting

i88 The Chinese Recorder [April

the session, publishing a report of the proceedings and registra-
tion. The following officers were elected Chairmen : Bishop
Cassels, C. I. M., and Rev. Joseph Taylor, A. B. M. U. ; Vice-
Chairman, Dr. O. Iv. Kilborn, C. M. M. ; Secretaries, Dr. H. T.
Hodgkin, F. F. M. A., and Rev. J. L. Stewart, C. M. M. The
majority of the delegates registered the first evening. The
total throughout the Conference was i68 delegates and twelve
visitors, prominent among the latter being Dr. Arthur H. Smith,
Bishop Bashford, and Rev. G. J. Bond, of Toronto, Canada.

Monday's session was given over to the discussion of the
general subject of the changing conditions in China and their
effect upon missionary work. The subject was presented by a
characteristic address by Dr. Arthur H. Smith on "The Forces at
Work and how the Different Classes are affected thereby;" Mr.
R. J. Davidson, F. F. M. A., followed with a paper on "How
do these Changes affect Missionary Work ? How are we to meet
them?" while Dr. O. L. Kilborn gave a very practical paper
on "Application to the Local Field of Suggestions from the
Shanghai Conference," The afternoon was given over todisous-
sion. By arrangement of the committee of organization only such
resolutions as looked to specific action were entertained, as it
was felt the Centenary Conference had already sufficiently defined
missionary positions on various questions. Discussion therefore
followed a carefully prepared agenda, in which the important
points at issue had been selected and arranged. The results of
the day are largely summed up in the following resolutions : —

" Resolved^ That this Conference recommends the enlarge-
ment of the duties of the Advisory Board in the following
directions :

A. To survey the whole field with a view to the planting
of new agencies or the cultivating of new fields, and to make
recommendations to particular missions for the opening up of
work or the setting aside of men for such work as

(i). Literature for West China.

(2). School for the Blind.

(3). School for the Deaf and Dumb.

(4). Asylum for the Insane.

(5). Museums.

B. To consider more particularly at the present time the
feasibility of founding

(i). A School for Missionaries' Children.

(2). A Language School for New Missionaries.

19081 The Second West China Missionary Conference 189

'■'- Resolved^ That a committee of three be appointed to make
arrangements for the holding of summer schools this year and
to suggest plans for the further carrying on of such work, both
for Chinese and foreigners."

Evangelistic work was the general topic for Tuesday.
An address was given by Mr. D. E. Hoste, C. I. M., on "Christ
the Supreme Need of China." Papers were read by Rev. J.
Parker, L. M. S., on " Preaching the Gospel to the Masses;"
Rev. O. M. Jackson, C. M. S., on "Preaching the Gospel to
the Individual;" Rev. M. Beauchamp on "Need of a Revival
of Spiritual Life and a Deeper Sense of Responsibility," and
Mr. A. Grainger on "How to get and train Preachers."

A subject of such vital interest to all naturally called forth
strong yet sympathetic discussion. This was continued in sec-
tional meeting afterward, when Bishop Bashford read a paper on
"How can the Foreign Missionary be of most Help to his
Native Assistants." The practical results of the day were
summed up in two resolutions :

(i). That arrangements be made for the setting aside of
specially qualified men for special evangelistic efforts in churches
connected with the various West China missions.

(2). That a committee be appointed to consult as to what
arrangements can be made to secure the services of Mr. Li, of
Shanghai, to visit the West for special services.

Wednesday was educational day. Dr. Arthur Smith in-
troduced the subject by an address on "Significance of the Pre-
sent Educational Awakening and the Missionary's Relation
thereto. ' ' Papers were presented by Mr. L. Wigham, F. F. M. A. ,
on "Elementary Schools;" Miss P. Page, A. B. M. U.,
on "Work for Girls," and Rev. J. Taylor, A. B. M. U., on
"Plans for United Work." Already West China has its Edu-
cational Union. A uniform course of study and examination
system have been prepared and adopted by almost all the mission
schools. A site has been purchased for a Union University at
Chentu, and plans for buildings and staflf submitted to the home
Boards.

Resolutions arising out of the day's discussion ran as
follows : —

(i). " That this Conference heartily approves of the general
plan of union as outlined by the Educational Union of West
China and urges all missionaries engaged in school work to
join in and assist the scheme."

i90 The Chinese Recorder [April

(2). *'That a thoroughly qualified educationist be ap-
pointed, who shall give his whole time to the work of inspection
of our primary and secondary schools and other work connected
with the Educational Union."

(3). "That the Acting Board of Education take steps to
establish a first rate normal school in connection with the
coming Union University."

Friday forenoon session and a sectional meeting previous
were devoted to medical work. Papers were presented by Dr.
R. B. Ewan, C. M. M., on "General Review of Medical Work
in West China and Prospect for the Future ;" Dr. R. Wolfendale,
L. M. S., on "Opium," and Dr. C. W. Service, C. M. M., on
"Obtaining Financial Help from Chinese Sources." After
discussion resolutions were passed urging

(i). That a committee be appointed to approach the local
and central Chinese authorities, also the British and American
government representatives with reference to the importation
and sale of cigarettes.

(2). That the presses publishing texts be requested to
insert the English name after technical term.

(3). That this Conference express to the provincial au-
thorities our high appreciation of the work being done for the
suppression of the opium evil and assure them of our hearty
co-operation where desired.

From 2 to 4 p.m. the West China Religious Tract Society
presented their report and appeal for the future. Papers were
read by Mr. W. A. Maw, F. F. M. A., on " The Development
of Christian Literature in West China and how to increase
the Usefulness of the Tract Society ; " Mr. J. Vale, C. I. M., on
" Literature needed to meet Present Conditions," and by Mr. D.
Callum, C. M. S., on " Ways in which we can help the Society."
A series of resolutions looking to the extension of the Societies'
work in printing for Thibetans and tribes peoples, the opening
of branch depots, the setting aside of men for special literary
work, and the production of a literature to meet present con-
ditions, were enthusiastically received and passed.

The Advisory Board also presented its report to the Con-
ference and the suggested new constitution. The latter called
forth some very animated debate, especially as to the basis of
representation. It was finally settled that it should be left as
before with one representative to each mission. Steps will be
taken to introduce Chinese members to satisfy the requirements

1908] The Second West China Missionary Conference 191

for provincial councils as laid down by the Shanghai Con-
ference.

Friday evening the Conference again had the pleasure of
listening to a masterly address on things Chinese by Dr. Smith.
His deep insight as to the forces at work and their values to the
detriment or uplift of China amply justified the oft-repeated
assertion that in him China and Christianity has a missionary
statesman and seer.

Saturday morning was devoted to brief talks on methods
which experience had proved successful. Rev. J. F. Peat,
M. E. M., told of the power of the class-meeting ; Mr. A. H.
Faers, C. I. M., of the loyalty of boys trained from youth ; Miss
G. E. Wells, C. M. S., of the value of work with elderly country
women ; Dr. W. Wilson, C. I. M., of special classes for students
in electrical science ; Miss C. A. Brooks, C. M. M., of the value
of few but tested Bible-women ; Rev. F. J. Dymond, W.
M. M., of work in government schools as a means to win-
ning men ; Dr. Tompkins, A. B. M. U., put in a strong plea
for Sunday schools, and Mr. I. Mason, F. F. M. A., pleaded
for the wider adoption by workers of the Christian Endeavor
organization. On the strength of these papers a resolution was
passed asking :

"That the Advisory Board nominate a committee to deal
with the subject of Sunday Schools and Christian Endeavor,
making arrangements as soon as advisable for the holding of
conventions on these subjects."

In the afternoon the subject of The Native Church was
considered. Dr. H. Parry, C. I. M., read a paper on " Church
versus People," while Bishop Bashford gave a prospect of the
Church of Christ in West China. One of the most touching
addressesof the Conference was that of Mr. S. Pollard, U. M. M.,
on his work among the Nosu and Miao tribes. When in clos-
ing he introduced two of the latter, and with them sang the old
revival song,

" There is a Fountain filled with Blood,
Drawn from Immanuel's veins,"

a strange hush stole over the crowded hall and then as by
common impulse all joined in the Chinese chorus.

We have with intent omitted Thursday, for it was "the
great day of the feast." It was for discussion of the future
church. Should it be separation, federation, or union ? Papers
were presented by Bishop Bashford on " The Aim of all Mission-
ary Work;" Dr. O. L. Kilborn, C. M. M., on "Our Ideal in

192 The Chinese Recorder [April

Church Union ; " Mr. R. J. Davidson, F. F. M. A., on " Guiding
Principles to Union," and Rev. C. H. Parsons, C. M. S., on
"Fundamentals of the Christian Faith."

With the exception of a sectional meeting on woman's
work the whole afternoon was given over to the discussion of
this interesting and far-reaching theme. To the surprise of
the most optimistic the debate did not centre around the advis-
ability or otherwise of union, but rather as to the right road
to the goal. Without a dissenting voice, save that some would
omit the word Protestant, looking to a wider union, the Confer-
ence adopted as its ideal, "One Protestant Christian Church
for West China." A still more sweeping measure was then
introduced by Mr. J. F. Peat, M. E. M., in substance as follows :

" Resolved^ That the various missions in West China agree
to recognize and receive the Chinese church members of sister
missions." It was at once recognized that on this not a few
were restrained by creed and standing rules of home churches.
Again, however, the spirit of the Conference seemed in fullest
sympathy. The hall became, as one termed it, a testimony
meeting, and here and there throughout the delegates rose
Baptist and Friend, Churchman and Methodist, Congregation-
alist and Brethren, Disciple and Presbyterian to give his hearty
support and say as for him he would receive into his church
as members the converts of his brethren of whatever mission
without exacting his own denominational shibboleth.

A representative committee of two members from each of
nine missions at work and three western provinces was ap-
pointed, namely, from the American Baptist Mission, the
Christian Mission, the Canadian Methodist Mission, the Church
Missionary Society, the China Inland Mission (East and West),
the London Missionary Society, the Friends' Mission, the United
Methodist Mission of England and the Methodist Episcopal
Mission (North) U. S. A. This committee later met and ap-
pointed various sub-committees, setting itself to work with cau-
tion and enthusiasm to see what can be done to the accomplish-
ment of the great ideal it has set before it.

To all this the closing services on Sunday with its Union
Communion came as a benediction and earnest of coming days.
Before the altar-railing to assist in the sacred rites were re-
presentatives of the various missions. As one expressed it the
nearer we got to the Father's heart, the less we hesitated over
the man-made differences which separated us. Together the

1908] The Second West China Missionary Conference 19)

various denominations sang, prayed, communed, feeling to its
fullness the joy of unity in Him.

Much must be left unsaid. A letter was drafted to the
home churches claiming their co-operation and sympathy in
our union efforts and asking that due heed be given to our
united voice as expressed in Conference and later through the
Educational Union, the Church Union Committee and the
Advisory Board. An appeal for men was passed, asking for
West China 350 evangelists, 300 missionaries to the Thibetans
and tribes people, 250 educationists, 250 women workers, 200
medical men, 100 nurses, 50 literary and other specialists, or a
total of 1,500 workers. Very hearty votes of appreciation were
tendered Dr. H. T. Hodgkin as secretary, the chairman, the
visiting members, the hostesses, the singers and many others
for their services. The report here given is necessarily hurried
and partial. In many cases the substance rather than the exact
wording of the resolutions has been given, and no attempt is
made to give any of the many valuable suggestions thrown out
by papers and brought out in discussion. As stated, however,
a full report of papers and proceedings is to be printed, and
those interested may secure copies by application to the secretary
at his address, Chentu, West China.

With a union periodical — the Missionary News — which
speaks for us all, with an Advisory Board, which has stood the
test of a decade of work, to survey and advise impartially upon
the whole field, with a Union Educational System which this
autumn successfully conducted its first examination for primary
and secondary schools, with a Union University whose site
is purchased, scheme sanctioned by the Boards and staff already
largely upon the field, with a union school for the study of the
language, a union school for missionaries' children, a union
conference of all Christians, union Medical and Normal Schools
and Union Protestant Christian Church unanimously our aim
for the future, and best of all a united church already as regards
recognition of its members and the spirit of its missionaries, the
Outlook for the coming of the kingdom in the three great pro-
vinces of West China is great with hope. One could not pass
through such a gathering without feeling as not before the ring-
ing words of challenge : —

We are living, we are dwelling

In a grand and awful time,
In an age on ages telling

To be living is sublime.

194 The Chinese Recorder [April

The Revised Mandarin Version of the
New Testament

BY REV. A. SYDENSTRICKER, S. P. MISSION

THE completion of this version marks an epoch of no small
importance in the history of missionary work in China.
While the old Peking and other versions have answered
a good purpose, missionaries who have passed beyond the initial
stages of preaching and Bible-class work, and the majority
have done so, have long felt that a translation of the Bible that
would bring both student and teacher nearer to the original
was a thing greatly to be desired. Whether this has been
successfully accomplished in the Revised Mandarin, or not, will
easily appear to any one who is sufficiently interested to make
some comparisons between the old and the new versions. It is
our purpose in this paper to make only some general observa-
tions on the Revised Mandarin Version, reserving more careful
scrutiny for a future article.

I. The Revision Committee had before it a very difficult
task. It was instructed to revise the existing translation or
translations of the Mandarin Bible, based on either the Textus
Receptus or on the text underlying the Revised English
Version. The choice of text having thus been left to the
Revision Committee, at once and from the beginning opened
the way for differences of opinion among the members of the
Committee as to what they were to translate. This might
have hampered them seriously. Had the General Conference of
1890 instructed them to use a certain text, either the Receptus,
the text of the English Revision, or some other revised text,
this initial difficulty would have been avoided. This difficulty
was doubtless enhanced by the fact that missionaries are not
generally prepared to judge critically between the different
readings of the original texts of the Bible.

But there was another and more serious difficulty. The
Committee was instructed to make a revision of the Mandarin
Bible into t'lmg hsing /man hua (Ji fr 1^ f§). Translators
before this had not given themselves any trouble about the text
to be translated, nor had they attempted to make their versions
cover the whole field of Mandarin-speaking China. Now both
of these considerations had to be taken account of, and the latter
immensely increased the difficulty of making a successful and
satisfactory revision.

1908] The Revised Mandarin Version of the New Testament 195

Although, generally speaking, Mandarin is a widely spoken
current language and the vast majority of words and phrases
are understood wherever it is spoken and even beyond the limits
of Mandarin speakers, yet when one comes to the niceties of
a literal and an exact translation it is often exceedingly difficult,
if not impossible, to find suitable words that are widely current.
This difficulty is heightened by the fact that there are a number
of words and expressions in the Bible for which an exact
equivalent scarcely exists in Chinese at all, much less a widely
current colloquial term. Examples of such will readily occur
to any one who will give the matter a little thought.

2. As intimated in both the English and Chinese prefaces,
the result of the Committee's work is a new translatio7i rather
than a revision of any of the existing translations. This is
apparent to any who takes the trouble of making even a slight
comparison between the new and the old versions. Almost
every verse shows some differences in words, or rearrangement
of words. The whole thing has been recast. There has been
apparently no attempt to follow any previous version as a
model, though no doubt all have been consulted, A very large
number of new words and terms have been introduced. There
is a very much greater difference between the revision and the
Peking Committee's translation than there is between the
Revised English and the Authorized Version. In fact, it can-
not properly be called a revision of any existing translation.

3. The translation is very much more literal than any
previous rendering of the New Testament into Mandarin.

This fact has both advantages and disadvantages. The
chief disadvantage is that it is very difficult to translate from
one language to another literally without doing violence, in a
greater or less degree, to the language into which the translation
is made. This is especially true in languages differing so widely
as do Greek and Mandarin. Words have to be used in somewhat
different shades of meaning from that which they commonly
convey ; the complicated and often long sentences of the Greek
with all their niceties of tense, person and number ; the com-
plexities of syntax and the collocations of words and phrases,
all these make it next to impossible to give a literal translation
and at the same time preserve a faultless style of Mandarin.

But there are some modifying features that help the matter.
In the first place, the Chinese, although they are very choice
as to the style of their W^n-li^ are very careless in the spoken

196 The Chinese Recorder [April

language. Some of the poorest Mandarin that we have ever
seen written or heard spoken has been done by Chinese them-
selves. So that nicety of style in Mandarin, though desirable,
is not at all indispensable. Again, Chinese Christians must
become acquainted with a style suited to convey Bible truth,
just as English-speaking people have, or as many others are
becoming accustomed to it. The Septuagint version of the Old
Testament is written in anything but classic Greek, yet it served
the greater part of the church of that time for centuries.
After all, beauty of style and correctness of rhetoric and syntax
is of small importance, so long as the translation is faithful.

But our Revisers have done their task at very little
sacrifice of good Mandarin style. There is not much room for
criticism here. The Chinese language is often considered very
mucli stereotyped and immobile, but it is gratifying as it is
surprising how the spoken language will adapt itself to all the
innovation of Western thought and invention.

But the gains in a literal translation are immense and far
override all disadvantage of style. The literal rendering that
the Revisers have given us of the New Testament brings the
Chinese Christian very much nearer the original than anything
that has ever before appeared in Mandarin speech. The greatest
gain is no doubt along the line of spiritual truths which are
brought out so much more clearly in the new version than in
any of tlie old ones. The religion of the Bible is an intensely
spiritual one, and any translation that obscures this is seriously
at fault. It is not now a question as to whether the proper
terms have been used, or whether violence has been done to
grammar or syntax. Nor is it a question as to whether the new
version is at first sight as intelligible as the old. Some Chinese
Christians say it is not and complain that it is not readable (jl^).
But this in great part arises from the fact they have not yet
become accustomed to the new version.

To cite one or two gains that have been secured in the
Revised Version we refer first to all those passages which
express the relation of believers to Christ by being in Christ.
These passages are almost always rendered literally, while in
the old versions some paraphrase more in consonance with
Chinese idiom is more generally resorted to. This one feature
will open to the Chinese Christian a new view of this very
important truth, though the language in which it is couched
may at first seem a little strange.

1908] Nestoriiis and the Nestoiian Mission in China 197

Another is a term introduced by the translators to render
the Greek term Koiv(ovia and its derivatives. The Greek word
means "fellowship," "partnership," and the Revision Com-
mittee has used ^ ^ generally, which is immensely superior
to the words and paraphrases used in the older versions, and
one cannot help but wish that the Committee had used it still
more frequently. But when the Chinese Christians come to
grasp something of the full meaning intended by this term they
will have made a long advance in spiritual comprehension.

3. The third and the last general observation that we
make now is, that the Revision Committee has bestowed very
great care on the work. There is nothing in the whole book
that indicates careless or loose work. Every word has received
close attention, and if there are any mistakes, they are not the
result of careless work. The Committee has labored long and
faithfully and has done an immense amount of very hard work.
It should be borne in mind that it is very much more difficult
for a committee composed of several persons to do work of this
sort than for one man to do it. In the latter case the translator
has only himself to consult, similar to an author writing a book.
But here men from widely separated parts of the country, speak-
ing a form of language differing more or less all over the land, had
to come together and translate a book into the spoken language
of millions of people, and it had to be done so as to be easily in-
telligible in the spoken language of these people. Of course it
would require the closest attention and the greatest care under
any circumstances to translate or write a book successfully.
That such care and attention has been given to this task by the
Revision Committee is evident from almost every sentence in
the new translation before us.

Nestorius and the Nestorian Mission in China

BY REV. W. S. PAKENHAM WALSH, B.A., FOOCHOW

( Concluded from p. /jj, March miniber.)

WE have now reached the year 781 A.D., in which the
tablet was erected, and from that year onward, as
there has not, up to the present, been discovered any
consecutive historical account of the Nestorian Mission, the
difficulty of tracing its course increases.

198 The Chinese Recorder [April

Timotheus, Patriarch of the Nestorian Communion from
777 to 820 A.D., was very earnest in the promulgation of
Christianity in the East, and appointed David as Metropolitan
of China, and it is the testimony of a Roman Catholic writer
that "from the beginning of the sixth century the hierarchy
(Nestorian) was perfectly established and the Metropolitans
succeeded one another regularly."

At a synod held in 850 A.D. by the Patriarch Theodosius
it was commanded that all metropolitan bishops were to repair
to the Patriarch at Bagdad once in four years, but the
metropolitans of India and China were to be exempted on
account of the great distance at which their sees lay, but they
were to communicate with the Patriarch at least every six years.

In the year 878 A.D. a great rebellion broke out in China,
and according to the testimony of an Arab traveller — Ibn-
Vahab — there were many Christians in the Empire and many
were put to death, together with Mussulmans, Jews, Magi and
foreigners, but the disorders and persecutions did not crush the
Christian church, for in 1060 A.D. we find a Chinese author
writing thus in his description of the capital : — "In the street of
Justice may be seen the temple of Po-sse-sse (Persia). It was
built in the twelfth year of the period of Tching Kouan (638
A.D.) by order of the Emperor T'ai Tsung in favour of O Lo-sse
(Olopen), a religious stranger from the kingdom of Ta-thsin."

Here then we have evidence that this Christian church had
been standing in Si-ngan-fu for over four hundred years, and as
the same writer speaks of two or more churches built there at a
later date, we may fairly conclude that Christianity had
obtained a firm footing in the capital and was widely spread
throughout the Empire.

It was about this period that the countries of Europe were
astonished by the renown of a Christian king in the East,
named Prester or Priest John, whose riches and power were
reported to be almost without limit. It is not easy to discover
how much truth may be mixed up with all the romance that
has gathered round his name, but all the travellers of the
eleventh and twelfth centuries agree in asserting the existence of
a great Christian ruler in the East during these years. Probably
the name Prester John was handed down from father to son, and
there was really a succession of kings bearing the title.

Letters in the name of this ruler reached the Emperor
Comnenus (11 18 A.D. ), the king of France and the Pope at

1908] Nestorius and the Nestorian Mission in China 199

different times, which though discredited by some to-day, were
sufficiently accredited at the time to induce Pope Alexander III
to write to him (1177 A.D.) and address him by the title of
*' King of the Indies and most holy of priests."

It seems unanimously agreed that Prester John was a
Nestorian Christian, and the Pope in his letter expresses himself
as very anxious that he should repent of his errors and listen to
the admonitions of a certain "Master Philip," who was sent to
instruct him. Indeed Nestorian Christianity was at this period
widely spread throughout the East, and the kingdom of Prester
John in particular must have been the centre of a radiating
Christian influence. This kingdom was in all probability the
land of the Karaites, for in a letter addressed by a bishop — Ebed
Jesu — in Khorassan to the Nestorian Patriarch John (1001-1012
A.D.) we are told of the conversion of the king of the Karaites
and the fact that some two hundred thousand of his subjects
wished to follow the king's example. The Patriarch in reply
desired the bishop to send to the king two priests and two
deacons, in order to baptize and teach the rites and doctrine of
the Christian faith to all anxious to learn. Such was in all
probability the origin of Prester John's romantic Christian
kingdom, which went on increasing in power and influence
during the next two hundred years.

One of these Nestorian Prester kings, about the middle of
the twelfth century, marched against Persia and Medea, took
the capital Ecbatana, and was preparing a crusade to Palestine
from the East, when for some unknown reason he suddenly
returned to Tartary. This was the Prester John whose letters
reached Pope Alexander III and whose fame resounded
throughout Europe, and his influence must have greatly
strengthened the Nestorian work in China and India.

The year 1203 A.D., however, saw the overthrow of this
Christian kingdom, for Ung Khan, the last of the Presters John,
was defeated and slain in battle and the Karaites sank into
oblivion.

These events have carried us on almost up to the days
of Kublai Khan (1280- 1295 A.D.), in whose splendid reign
the Nestorians received the same toleration and protection
as was extended by him to all religions and schools of
thought, except Taoism, which he regarded as injurious to
the people, giving orders that ail Taoist literature should be
burned.

200 The Chinese Recorder [April

Although the Emperor Kublai Khan held that he was
"too old. in idolatry" to become a Christian, still on the days
of the Christian festivals he used to have the Gospels brought
into his presence and would devoutly kiss them. Nor would he
allow insult to be offered to the Christian faith, for when a
neighbouring Christian prince named Nayan, bearing a cross on
his standard, having attacked him and been repulsed, the great
Emperor rebuked those who upbraided the uselessness of the
cross in battle, bade the Christians to be of good heart, and
speaking in a loud voice, so that all might hear, said : "If the
cross has rendered no help to Nayan, in that it hath done right
well ; nor could that which is good as it is, have done otherwise,
for Nayan was a disloyal and a traitorous rebel against his lord
and well deserved that which has befallen him. Wherefore the
cross of your God did well, in that it gave him no help against
the right."

This we are told was the end of "the flouting of the
unbelievers against the Christians," but the incident shows the
strong hold which Nestorian Christianity then had in the
country. Indeed at this time Christianity must have been
spread far more widely than we are apt to imagine, for Marco
Polo, who resided in China from 1271 to 1388 A. D., although
unfortunately he does not give any systematic account of the
work, being chiefly occupied in observing and recording other
things, yet does say enough to show us how widely extended
was the church's influence. He mentions incidentally a Nesto-
rian church at Hangchow, the capital of the Empire during
the Sung Dynasty (960-1127. A.D.), and in Ching-kiang-fu he
says that there were, when he visited it, two Nestorian churches.
These, he tells us, were built in 1278 A.D. by a baron named
Mar Sarghis, a Nestorian Christian, who was sent by the great
Khan as governor of the city, " and during the three years that
he abode there he caused these two Christian churches to be
built, and since then there they are. But before his time there
was no church, neither were there any Christians."

This record of Marco Polo is important, for it teaches us
that even at that late date Nestorian Christianity was not the
dying and corrupt religion which one is led to gather from the
descriptions of that wonderful traveller, monk Rubruk. No
doubt his account is true as regards Tartary, but this Christian
governor of Chingkiang presents to us a very different picture as
regards China proper.

1908] Nestoriiis and the Nestorian Mission in China 201

Rubruk speaks of the Nestorian clergy as ignorant, un-
cultured and licentious, and with a mission separated at such
an immense distance from its base, with communication so
difficult and books so few, we may well believe that it must
have been extremely difficult to maintain the high intellectual
and moral standard of the early days. Then too the incessant,
constant touch with the idolatry, which Marco Polo tells us
existed on all sides, must have been even more depressing and
degrading than it is to-day, yet in spite of all human failings and
all these tremendous difficulties, the fact remains that Christian
truth kept spreading, so that in the thirteenth century Chris-
tians were to be found in the most remote provinces, and
churches in the principal cities.

Gibbon's brief compendium of Nestorian mission work in
China, i.e., "after a short vicissitude of favour and persecution
the foreign sect expired in ignorance and oblivion," reads,
in the light of facts, rather like a pious wish than a strict
reality.

The most biassed historian who studies the story as we
know it now, must admit the wonderful success and tenacity of
the work in China from 636 up to the year 1300 A.D.

The Nestorians had now been working alone in China for
almost seven hundred years, but in 1293 A.D., after several
unsuccessful attempts, a Roman Catholic mission was established
beside them in Peking. The leader of the mission was John of
Montecorvino, a Franciscan, who having travelled through Persia
and India, at length, after a journey of some four years, reached
the capital just before the death of the Emperor Kublai Khan.
He bore with him letters from Pope Nicholas IV, and the great
Khan received him with that same friendliness and toleration
which he had extended to the older mission.

Had these two missions been able to combine, and they
had much in common, it is difficult to gauge what the results
might not have been, but unfortunately from the very outset
they worked in opposition to one another, and apparently made
no effort to understand each other or to see whether some
agreement or division of labour was not possible.

That which was attainable between fifty different mission-
ary bodies in 1900 A.D., without any loss of principle, might
surely have been possible in 1300 A.D., when but two Christian
bodies were concerned, and those two alike not only in many
fundamental beliefs, but also in many external forms.

202 The Chinese Recorder [April

John de Montecorvino lays the blame of the misunder-
standing on the Nestorians. He writes: "The Nestorians,
certain folk who profess the name of Christian but who deviate
sadly from the Christian religion, have grown so powerful in
these parts that they will not allow a Christian of another rite
to have ever so small an oratory, or to proclaim any but the
Nestorian doctrine. To these regions there never came any one
of the Apostles, nor a disciple of the Apostles, and therefore the
said Nestorians, directly or through others, suborned with
money, have brought upon me persecutions of the sharpest.
They asserted that I was not sent by the Lord Pope, but was a
great spy and a deceiver of men, and after a while they produced
false witnesses, who declared that a certain envoy had been sent,
bearing immense treasure for the Emperor, and that I had
killed him in India and taken away what he bore. And these
accusations went on for five years, so that very often was I
dragged before the judgment seat with ignominy and threats of
death. At last, by God's providence, through the confession of
a certain person, the Emperor came to know my innocence and
the malice of my adversaries, and he banished them with their
wives and children."

The man who can so naively write later on in his letter
that he has bought one hundred and fifty boys and with them
formed a choir, is not one to be readily suspected of want of
sincerity, and it is credible, as he says, that the Nestorians,
being in possession and objecting strongly to another mission
starting beside them, fell so low as to descend to such odious
methods to hinder him. At the same time, in fairness to the
Nestorians, we must remember that it takes two to make a
quarrel, and no doubt the contemptuous spirit which is seen
even in Montecorvino's letter, had exhibited itself more plainly
in his words and dealings with them, making friendship difficult
and love impossible.

Yet surely in that great city of Peking, and in the greater
Empire outside its walls, there was sufficient scope for two
separate missions, especially under such a broadminded Emperor
as Kublai Khan, who would no doubt gladly have helped them
to arrange a division of the field.

The Nestorians failing in their attack on John, injured
their own cause, and the Roman mission at once began to make
steady progress. Two churches were built in the capital, and
John of Montecorvino tells us that by the year 1305 A.D. he

1908] Nestorius and the Nestorian Mission in China 203

had baptized about six thousand people and translated the whole
New Testament and the Psalter into Chinese.

He had also persuaded a certain king named George to
leave the Nestorian Communion and enter the Roman, and this
king built "a beautiful church on a scale of royal magnificence
to the honour of our God, the Holy Trinity, and of the Lord
Pope, calling it the Roman church."

On the death of King George, his kingdom (about twenty
days' journey from Peking) returned to the Nestorian fold, but
still on the whole the Roman mission was steadily making way;
fresh recruits were sent from Italy, the work became widely
extended ; we read of a bishop of Fuhkien and another at
Zaitun (Hangchow), while in 1308 A. D. John of IMontecorvino
was made bishop of Peking and Primate of the Far East by Pope
Clement V.

This appointment, and the official position which went
with it, must have carried great weight in the court at Peking,
but apart from this the Nestorians had probably no man at all
the equal of John in either ability, energy or spirituality, and
his strong personality must have greatly increased the popularity
of the Roman mission.

Nevertheless the Nestorians, with their long standing and
far spread influence throughout the Empire, might have more
than held their own but for an event which just at this time
took place and which must have dealt a deadly blow at their
work. In the year 1304 A.D. Mar Jabalaha, the Nestorian
Patriarch in Persia, entered the Roman Catholic Commnnion
and sent in his submission to Pope Benedict XL

We have no definite record of what the consequences were
in China, but they certainly could not have been less disastrous
to Nestorian mission work in China than the submission of the
Archbishop of Canterbury to Rome would be to the Anglican
work in the East to-day.

Indeed one may safely say that the injury to the Nestorian
work must have been greater than could possibly be inflicted by
any such untoward event in the present more intelligent age,
for at that time the learning was mainly confined to the clergy,
and the ignorance of the masses gave to both Patriarch and
Pope almost autocratic powers, so that there was little choice
left but to follow their dictates.

The position of the Nestorian bishops and clergy in China
must have been an exceedingly difficult one, unless they were

204 The Chinese Recorder [April

willing to consent to accept the changed conditions in which
they found themselves, and with a choice of submission or
starvation before them, it is only human to suppose that
numbers of them entered the Roman Communion, carrying
their congregations with them.

One thing is certain, namely, that the Nestorian Chris-
tianity rapidly gave way before the Roman, and after the death
of Primate John, which took place amid universal sorrow about
the year 1330 A.D., we find the Emperor and some of the
ministers of the first rank appealing to the Pope to appoint
another Roman Catholic bishop to the vacant see, while no
mention is made of the existence of a Nestorian bishop, nor
even of the mission which had evidently quite retired into the
background.

Not so the Roman, for in the year 1353 A.D. the follow-
ing description of that mission was given by a monk of Florence,
John de' Marignolli : — "The Friars Minor of Cambaluc (Peking)
have a cathedral church immediately adjoining the palace, with
a proper residence for the Archbishop, and other churches in
the city besides, and they have bells, too, and all the clergy
have their subsistence from the Emperor's table in the most
honourable manner."

To add to the discomfort of the Nestorians, Timur or
Tamerlane was now carrying. Mahommedanism at the point of
the sword from Samarkand as a centre right through Central
Asia and even into Persia, and though at the beginning of the
thirteenth century there are said to have been twenty-six
metropolitans in Asia under the Nestorian Patriarch at Bagdad,
the close of the century must have seen a very different state of
things.

But the final blow had yet to come, a blow which not
only put an end to the old Nestorian mission in China, but
which even completely blotted out their young and vigorous
Franciscan rival after a brief existence of less than two hundred
years.

In 1368 A.D. the friendly Tartar dynasty set up by Kublai
Khan came to an end, and persecution became the order of the
day. The last authentic fact known with regard to the Chris-
tian church in China at this period is the martyrdom of James
of Florence, Roman Catholic bishop of Hangchow, in 1362 A.D.

Probably numbers shared his fate, and the two missions
were swallowed up in a common disaster.

1908] The Dragon's Awakening 205

It is not until the year 1552 A.D., some two hundred years
later, that we again read of missionary work in China, and then
it is 'a new face at the door,' the intrepid Francis Xavier and
the Jesuit mission.

In closing this sketch of the Nestorian mission in China
I should like to point out one other cause to which the over-
throw of the work may be traced, I mean the neglect of school
work and the training of Chinese pastors and teachers. No-
where have I been able to find any trace of Nestorian Christian
schools. Marco Polo speaks of churches, the Nestorian inscrip-
tion tells of tonsured monks and orderly worship, and had there
been a good school at the capital or elsewhere we may almost
certainly say that it would have been mentioned.

But no effort seems to have been made to use and develop
the Chinese Christians as teachers, speakers, doctors or pastors,
and in China any mission which neglects this branch of work
is foredoomed to failure.

The hope of present-day missionary work, at least among
the reformed Communions, lies chiefly in this, that the pre-
dominant note in their work is the teaching and training of the
Chinese themselves, and the Christian schools and colleges, now
occupying all the great strategic positions of the Empire, are at
once both an inspiration and an assurance that there will yet
arise a strong, cultured, indigenous branch of the Christian
church in the land of Sinim.

The Dragon's Awakening

BY REV. E. I. DOTY, CANTON

IT is the purpose of this paper to sketch the conditions of
the present day in China ; to look somewhat into the
causes that have given rise to these conditions ; and to
look forward a little, to discover, if may be, the probable out-
come of existing tendencies.

The Dragon awoke early, but ere the morning hours were
past, the Dragon slept, not the healthy sleep that is the reward
of toil but the sleep of one hypnotized. Centuries long the
Chinese followed the same ideals with steady gaze until there
fell, like a mantle, close and dark, the long deep sleep. While
China slept, the great powers of to-day were born and fought

206 The Chinese Recorder [April

their way to accomplishment. That long sleep was a period
of philosophical and ethical dreaming — and those dreams have
deepened the lethargy unto this day. It was a period of inven-
tion, but not one of development. China invented printing, but
never developed it to any considerable degree of perfection ;
other nations took it up and made it one of the greatest factors
of progress. She invented gunpowder, but did not develop its
possibilities ; other nations seized upon it and made it the
advance agent of civilization ; they even used it to break down
the barriers the Chinese themselves had set up against them.
In a word, while China slept the world worked on. While
she was content with her books, Philip II was evolving
the meaning of empire and seeking to extend Macedonian
influence throughout the world. Rome was conquering the
Gauls and planning expeditions across the ditch into heathen
Brittany. Charlemagne was seeking to indnce belief by fear
of death. Martel was driving back the Saracen from the
Pyrenees. Europe too had tired and slept, but was waking
to new ideals and other hopes. In the nth century, with
the war-cry of " Deus Vult," she poured her best blood into
Palestine to rescue the tomb of Christ from the Moslem. France
was born. Italy became a new nation, and Spain the first
world-power. England sprang to greatness, colonized and lost
the new world. So the nations worked while China slept
secure among her books. But the tide of progress, beginning
though it did in the Orient, seemed ever to march westward.
It entered Europe from the East and permeated every kingdom.
With the colonist it came to America, and in spite of bloody
tomahawk crossed the states one by one. It is crossing the
Pacific and Atlantic and entering the Orient once more. Should
all the blood in living veins to-day oppose its progress, it will
permeate China to the very centre. The impact of this tide
has caused the Dragon's awakening.

Let us note some of the changes that have taken place.
Probably first among these is the student movement, for
here governor and governed have met on common ground. The
old .school has passed away. It is most significant that in the
historic city of Canton and in other centers as well, the
famous examination booths have given place to halls of the
new learning. It is significant because it stands for the fact
that throughout the provinces education in new subjects is
required. This we may suppose was a forced step. The

1908] The Dragon's Awakening 207

government saw itself drawn into the whirlpool of international
competition and coolly sacrificed the life work of her present
generation of scholars for the greater good of the Middle King-
dom. But the decree revolutionizing the educational system
did not arrest China's ambition. Its goal was changed. The
nation's thought found a new channel, and we have an army
of youth with its face set earnestly toward the new learning.

All this has created a great opportunity for the church,
because at the present moment the mission schools alone are
fitted adequately to meet the conditions. I would not depreciate
other schools where real instruction is given, but wish to em-
phasize the opportunity open to Christian institutions. The
government and the private schools stand rather for the new
idea than for anything like the working of it out. They are
not efficient. The subjects are poorly taught. With a few notable
exceptions, the instructors are not instructed. It is left for the
Christian school to supply that new basis of character, without
which all the equipment of the 20th century must fail in its pur-
pose. And to the Christian school is coming a class of students
from hitherto unreached levels of society. They may not become
Christians, but their association with us and the resultant under-
standing of our purpose ought to lessen opposition and bring
into wider repute the cause which we came to establish.

Recognizing the superiority of our instruction the new
schools are applying to us for teachers, and the opportunity is
coming to Christian young men and women to guide the
nation's youth into paths of knowledge and progress. This
may not seem at once an opportunity to be grasped, inasmuch
as the church loses their services as preachers and teachers.
But however well a preacher may preach, or a teacher may
teach, the life is a Christian's grandest witness, and entering
the door now open this testimony may be given in high places
where words can seldom reach. And this testimony will be
examined and compared in a manner that must prove its worth.

The multiplication of schools throughout the provinces is
important. It is the voluntary response of the common people
to the higher call. It speaks for reaction that the teaching in
these schools is so deficient and the tendency so revolutionary,
but it stands for a growth that, whatever the opposition, cannot
be entirely overthrown. Each school building is a reflector,
more or less polished, which has caught some ray of light.
And that ray will be turned by it to its own place that all

208 The Chinese Recorder [April

the land may be light. Throughout the whole educational
movement there is a depreciation of the old mode of doing
things and a distinct approval of the vitalizing methods of the
West, but there is as yet little evidence of reformation of moral
character, without which the new system must fail to bear its
normal fruit.

In connection with education we note the increasing use
of the English language. The Chinese are seeking to learn
English at present because it is worth money to them, and the
future demands will be greater than those of the present. The
tendency seems to be either toward English or a revision of
the native tongue. The time may not have arrived when we
should teach English in all our schools, but many do teach
it, and we also find English schools under purely native
control.

Along with the study of English has come a noticeable
change of address and manners. This is due to the same
general feeling, colored perhaps by a touch of militarism. Stu-
dents now-a-day have an exalted opinion of the army — thanks
to Japan. They suppose that the greatness of other nations
is due to their military power, little thinking that that power is
a creature and not a creator of greatness. They seem to link
patriotism with gunpowder, when it ought rather to be as-
sociated with a clean civic life. Asia for Asiatics is the popular
cry and the whole educational question centers on the thought.
The last generation of educated Chinese was a generation of
scholars, the next is likely to be a generation of soldiers and
diplomats. Students are visiting other great powers, and Japan
especially, where militarism is at white heat and that phase
of war exhibited by the peaceful parade of uniformed soldiers
with flying flags and rattling drums is found most tempting.
The time is at hand when China should develop statesmen who
are willing to decrease that the nation may increase. The
time is at hand to organize the army and navy. But one of
the greatest needs of the Chinese people at the present time is
to realize that the greatness of a nation does not depend upon
its armament, but upon its hold on God and the justice with which
it deals in the business of the world. The would-be-student-
politicians, hastily educated abroad, are likely to keep the govern-
ment from this true foundation — this foundation we have offered
our services to make secure, the corner stone of which was laid
by Robert Morrison one hundred years ago.

1908] The Dragon's Awakening 209

But the renaissance is not confined to the student alone.
Socially it touches China at every point. In this connection
I wish to speak of the great working class of to-day. And by
working class I mean the business men who are now carrying
on the real work of the empire. The newspapers and
magazines have more to say about this middle class than any
other or even about the government itself. The student
movement is a latent force with boundless possibilities. But
the middle class presents the real battle field of progress. The
student theorizes and winces under a yoke that does not rest
upon his own shoulders. It rests where there is vested property
right. The student travels abroad and urges certain enterprizes.
The business man incurs the risk of the venture and experiences
the immediate gain or loss. The student is the agitator, the
working man the real reformer. The work of this class is found
in the history of industrial development. Here should be
mentioned railways, binding the provinces together by bands
of steel and making easy and attractive the intercourse which
shall drive away interprovincial hatred and mistrust. Here
should be mentioned the telegraph, instantly flashing informa-
tion to all the chief centers of the empire, and the telephones
and electric lights, foundries, glass-works, and other such
industries. Here too should be mentioned the guilds and
diflferent societies formed for mutual aid and protection of
particular industries. Space forbids the treatment of these
things in detail, extremely interesting though they are to every
student of social conditions. Every one of them tells the story
of a reform changing the immediate conditions in the lives of
thousands, and so changing the outlook of the East that hardly a
soul in all Christendom is not affected by the advance.

If we turn to government circles we find strong evidence
of a similar movement. The Commission that was sent abroad
to study Western institutions was a select body of men represen-
tative of the official class. This has ever been the conservative
element, and such an action indicates the awakening conscious-
ness that the old institutions are inadequate to stand the stress
and strain of coming years. Call it what you will — anything
from self-defence to calm appreciation of what is noble — it was
in the right direction. It was a master stroke. It made for
world-progress.

The Commission investigated the institutions of different
countries and made such suggestions to the Throne as seemed

210 The Chinese Recorder [April

warranted by the knowledge gained. To that Commission we
owe many of the reforms already begun.

The appointment of the Commission was something other
than a blind grasping after odds and ends that might hold
during the inevitable struggle. China's institutions could not
survive the coming competition. It was the infusion of new
blood into a depleted system. It was more than that. It was
a looking forward to new institutions like those with which
she must compete. It was working toward self-mastery, for
it was no secret in those days that the Powers were discussing
the division of China among themselves. Therefore the only
way to ensure national integrity was to bring order out of chaos
and develop the vast resources herself.

One of the most startling reforms decreed by the govern-
ment is the abolition of opium. The annual report of the
Anti-Opium League gives quite fully the history of the mov^e-
ment and how the government came to take up the matter.
An International Opium Commission has been agreed to by
all the leading powers, making it incumbent upon both hemis-
pheres to suppress the evil. Thus, not only will the events
of 1840 be impossible of repetition, but China will enjoy the
moral support and sympathy of the whole civilized world in
her attempt to shake oflf this great slavery.

Another instance of sweeping reform is the promise of a
Constitutional Government. This promise no doubt was made
for reasons of political expediency, but apparently it was made
in good faith. Recognizing the national spirit manifest in
education, defence, politics, and even in religion, it is an
unmistakable mark of credit to the Empress-Dowager that
she has withdrawn from the Reactionaries and joined hands
with the forces that make for progress and unity. But just
here is a very grave danger that the people will wrest the
legislative power from the Throne before they are able to wield
it. The people need to be patient until such changes can be
made with safety. The progressive party would seize in a
year what the West waited centuries to gain. Sour indeed
will they find the fruit plucked too early from the vine.

But notwithstanding all the promises of the Throne, we
find the people still discontented. It is a matter of serious
doubt whether the conciliatory reforms of the government,
removing as far as possible all differences between the races,
will be able to cast out of the Chinese mind the intense hatred of

1908] The Dragon's Awakening 211

the Manchu. The Chinese idea of patriotism is to drive him back
over the great wall whence he came. Much as the government
fears a foreign foe, her greatest fear is a consolidated revolt of
the eighteen provinces. And indeed there is reason to fear.
People of all classes are more or less discontented with the pre-
sent status quo^ and if opportunity offers are willing to abet any
movement aimed at the reigning dynasty. There is no doubt
that a revolution is pending and that some are against any
compromise less radical than the complete evacuation of Chinese
territory by the Manchu.

In dealing with this condition of things the Empress is
adopting the course chosen by a few wise rulers before her.
Her conciliatory policy may not ward off a revolution, but may
rob it of its terrors and make it a period of growth rather than
one of destruction and delay. Let her not risk the dangers of
putting new wine into old wine skins, of sewing new cloth
on an old garment, for calamity may thus be made the worse
and the Utopian social system in the minds of the Progressives
may give way to confusion and an ideal that is dead.

Let her people, too, realize the strength of unity. Let them
take note that the present dynasty, notwithstanding all its
faults, has given them the best government they have ever
had. Above all, let them accept the liberal terms offered by
the government and drown their discontent in the nobler spirit
of civil service.

Just here let us consider the attitude of this generation of
Christians. It is right that they should thrill with every hope
of liberty. But it is still for many of them to learn that an
evil ruler is better than no ruler, a bad law better than no law.
They need very much to master well the 13th chapter of
Romans and understand that the "powers that be are ordained
of God," that they are the ministers of God for good. They
need to be taught that the freedom to be sought is not that of
license but of restraint. That to be free from subjection to the
legal code they must have the fulfillment of it in themselves.
There is no terror in law to him that doeth well. This teach-
ing is sorely needed by the rising generation of Christians.
Many foolish and exceedingly shameful practices have been
indulged in by them because they consider themselves no longer
under the customs of their fathers but under grace. They call
it "dzi-yu" (g ^). The Christian law of liberty ought at
least to be as ennobling as heathen custom. Christianity, no

212 The Chinese Recorder [April

doubt, will modify many of the customs of China, but we can
well afford to be conservative. When the women began to un-
bind their feet, it was a witness to righteousness that they could
walk. What witness shall it be if we infringe on the customs
that are meant to guard the morals of the young and they
fall ? Let us leave the native toilet alone and confine our
attention to conditions of the heart. Some schools, I am told,
even insist on their pupils doing that which is unseemly in the
eyes of respectable Chinese. Such things ought not to be. It
tendeth to evil doing.

In a word we have come with one message. We must
seek to deliver that message in such a way that the Chinese
will be edified. We must teach them that a Christian experi-
ence and a high moral life walk hand in hand. We must
teach them well the lesson that until the Law of God is written
on the tables of their hearts, they must be in subjection to
that written on tables of stone. In all our endeavor, let us
strive to build up the new creature, to present every man per-
fect unto God.

Having noted some of the more striking signs of reform,
let us look for the causes which have given rise to them. It
ought to be remembered, however, that the actual condition in
China is simply progressive and promissory ; a tendency and
seeming willingness to move on. The mass of China has not
moved an amazing distance yet.

Among the agents of progress are two, working side by
side — the chapel and the warehouse. The one works from the
pulpit and the school room and most of all through the moral
worth of its constituency ; the work of the other is to develop
economic conditions which shall bring the Middle Kingdom
into commercial relations with the outside world. Both foster
intercourse and shout the call to China to leave the old useless
occupations which so long enthralled her intellect and employ
her splendid resources to satisfy the country's needs.

We have now to ask ourselves whither are all these new
conditions tending ? The answer lies beyond the years, and
yet the natural trend of events may give some clue to the end
we seek. We think that we can discern some things. Al-
though the educational system of the present time is tending
toward reaction, the old regime never can return. An invasion
of ideas cannot be turned back unless they prove their unfitness
to remain. Belief is the mind's answer to evidence, and there is

1908] The Dragon's Awakening 213

a preponderance of evidence in favor of the new learning. It is
unfortunate that the tendency of liberal education is so revolu-
tionary and yet it seems to be so wherever governments have
been oppressive. With all the faults of the Manchu dynasty it
is doing better than former houses have done and if its pledges
are at all indicative of good faith, its integrity is far preferable
to the chaos that would follow an armed revolution.

The military spirit in the schools — government, private
and mission, too — has been running too high. They threatened
to set the pace for our own schools in this particular, so I
strongly advised our boys to stay by their accustomed dress
and objected strenuously to their making calisthenics and
marching orders the main branch of learning. As for the
government schools they have little or no value as an edu-
cational agency. They are valuable as indicators of public
sentiment and may be the beginning of a great movement,

But we look forward with high hopes to the work of
students, educated for more sober ends than discord, — students
whose aim it shall be to organize the forces of the country for
intellectual and moral advancement. And many such students
we have. As for the church, the blood of her martyred saints
is shed — 'tis a seed that cannot die — repulsive to the sense
of man but full of beauty to Him whose blood was poured
for us. In their death they bore witness to a deathless love
unknown in China until He Himself struck off the shackles of
selfishness. They sowed. We shall reap. They builded and
we shall enter into their labors — more and more abundantly.

It is with reluctance that I call you from the fragrance of
this thought back to a subject harsh with political significance.
I presume that few of my readers believe in the Yellow Peril.
I myself do not. And yet we must recognize it as a cloud on
the century's horizon. Fifty years ago we would not have
dreamed that the disorganized group of islands called Japan
could now have vanquished one of the first world Powers. But
that has been realized, and all the world knows that not only is
Japan able to defend her vested rights, but that she is ambitious
to extend her territory. What will China do when she finds
herself in possession of modern means? That she has been
treated badly, need not be said. That she has no love for the
foreigner, every one knows. What she will do no one can tell.
A Chinaman once told me that his people were looking forward
to much war ; that China would one day wrest back Formosa,

214 The Chinese Recorder [April

Hongkong, and her lost possessions in the South. It is pro-
bable, however, that as China advances to the rank of a world-
power and proves herself capable of self-control and self-defence,
her relations with other nations will be more amicable. But
should worse come to worst, should the influence of her grow-
ing church fail utterly to quell her thirst for blood, what is
there to oppose her? Some one has said that so long as
England's coal and iron held out, she could defy the world.
Nonsense ! When England's claim to power rests on coal and
iron, her days are numbered. It rests on something other than
that. America has coal and iron and two million childless
homes. She is forced to compromise with such monsters as
the liquor traflBc and the social evil. Being unable to drive
them out she accepts tribute from both. What has she to say
to a nation that dares to tear herself free from the opium
curse ? But I do not believe in the Yellow Peril, because
I do believe in the renovation of my country. I believe that the
righteous principle underlying such governments as those of
America, England and Germany will prevail ; that that principle
will eventually spread itself to the governments of the East
and marshall these virgin resources not for policies of conquest,
but for the benefit of mankind ; that where there is war, China
will be there to urge the cause of peace. And may the Eternal
God who presides over the destinies of nations, whose yesterday
beheld the fame of empires that are gone, brood over the
future of earth's peoples and through them work out His will.

Nosu and Miao.

BY RRV. S. POLLARD.

AWAY in the Far West of China are the remains of two
great peoples which the Chinese in the resistless pres-
sure of their never-ending forward march have gradually
driven back from Southern and Central China. These two
great branches of the aboriginals, Nosu and Miao, are now living
on the highlands and slopes of the hills and mountains which
form the eastern steps leading to the great Tibetan plateau,
'the roof of the world.' In China have happened the same
kind of events as centuries ago changed the face of England
and altered the history of the world. The Saxons and Angles

1908] Nosu and Miao 215

and Danes drove the Britons to the Far West, and those of the
latter which survived the great struggles now cling to the
hills of West England as Welshmen and Corn-welshmen. The
Nosu and Miao may be described as the Welsh and Cornish
of China.

The districts occupied by the two races may be likened
to two immense triangles. The Nosu tiiangle has its base
extending from South Yunnan along the mountainous borders
of Burma and right up along the borders of Tibet. The apex
of this triangle is in North-east Yunnan and North-west
Kweichow. The Miao triangle has its base in Hunan and
Kwangsi, and after enclosing nearly all of Kweichow its apex
also is near the city of Chaotong in North-east Yunnan. Chao-
tong thus has the unique position of being right at the ends
of the territory dwelt in by these two great races.

In the parts of Kweichow, where the Miao are the only
aboriginals, they are frequently the owners of the land, and many
of them are well off. In the district where the two tribes over-
lap the Nosu are the landlords, and some of the more important
of these own great tracts of territory, often larger than an
English county. The Miao here are the tenants, practically
the serfs of the Nosu. In many cases the Nosu landlords are
kind to their tenants, but in other cases they have treated
them with great harshness. Possessing no land of their own
the Miao in the district near Chaotong are very poor ; some
of them living in great straits. Though so poor and so much
at the mercy of their landowners, they are still free men and
can move their residence at will. In this they differ from the
white Nosu, who are the slaves and property of their overlords.

The missionaries in North-east Yunnan have for years
tried to reach the Nosu, and a few have been baptised. Now
and again an attempt had been made to get in touch with the
Miao, but these people were so shy and reserved and the Chinese
told them such terrible stories of the foreigners that these
attempts proved quite abortive.

The whole condition of affairs is now changed, and the
missionary ranks as the best friend of the poor despised serf.
Much has been learned in the past three or four years of the
habits and customs of these people, but as the spirit of Jesus has
entered into the hearts of the Miao, they have become reluctant
to discuss the past. The old life to some of them seems so
black and sinful that it is painful to have it exposed again.

216 The Chinese Recorder [April

We know, however, that immorality and drunkenness
were the twin evils. The marriage customs were terribly
degrading, and these have been largely responsible for the low
esteem in which the Chinese have held the Miao. In all the
large villages possessing twenty or more houses the girls would
build up a common house, which was nothing less than a
communal brothel, and the results of this terrible institution
are deplorable. Sickness in its most loathsome form is rife,
and what some of the children suffer for the sins of the parents
is truly lamentable. How to drive out this scourge and to save
the children is one of the great problems confronting the
missionary. The grace of God is suflScient for all things, and
this in the hearts of the people makes them willing to do their
best to root out all the old evil customs. The fight will be
long and severe, and there will be lapses, but we believe that
God will do His work thoroughly. He never scamps His
work.

Except where the Chinese example has been followed the
Nosu and Miao have no temples. Ancestral worship in a
modified form exists among both peoples. Fear of demons
is universal, and this has called forth a numerous class of
wizards, witches, sorcerers, mediums and devil drivers.
Among the Nosu this class of people has monopolised the
written language, and hence the great majority of Nosu
literature deals with the expulsion of demons and the cursing
of one's enemies.

The Miao possessing no written language, their class of
such medicine men is very ignorant and degraded. They have
been a great curse to the people, and the influence of those
who have not yet become Christians, is dangerous. I think
more than a hundred of these men have become Christians,
and some of them are bright leaders in the service of Jesus.

In the district where Christianity has so much influence
opium has gained practically no power over the Miao. They
have no 'small feet' Infanticide and the selling of children are
almost unkown. The love of children is very strong. There
are several things which make work among the Hwa Miao
very delightful, but there are others which make it very trying.
They are very loving, but they are dreadfully dirty. They
trust their missionary very much, but they are densely stupid.
They are very fond of children, but have no idea how to train
a child properly. Poor, degraded, ignorant and very stupid

1908] In Memoriam 217

they have one redeeming feature. They love Jesus Christ and
believe that His death on Calvary was for them.

What will be the future developments of this work one
can hardly foresee, but recruits are either on the field or are
coming, and we shall soon be in a position to cope with a
bigger movement if the angel of God once more moves on
the face of the water.

M

3n riDemoriain

Catharine Maria Ricketts

ISS C. M. Ricketts arrived in Svvatowouthe 29th November,
I »/ I 1878, and till she entered into rest on the 28th December,
-^ '-■- 1907. she never ceased to labour for the Chinese women.
She belonged to the West of England, and in earlier years was a
member of the Church of England Later she made her home in
Brighton and came under the influence of the Rev. A. B. Mackay,
of the Presbyterian Church there. She often spoke of him with
much gratitude and affection and testified to the blessing she had
received under his ministry. It was there that she became a
convinced and loyal Presbyterian, though always retaining a kindly
feeling for the church of her early days.

When she left home for China Mr. Mackay wrote the following
brief outline of her life in Brighton: — "For upwards of sixteen
years she had been connected with the Queen's Road Presbyterian
Church, and had always manifested the deepest interest in its
prosperity. For the greater part of that time she had been super-
intendent of the Girls' Sabbath School, which she conducted with
great efficiency. One thing to which she gave particular attention
was the teaching of the Shorter Catechism, and many of the elder
girls under her have repeated it without error from beginning to
end, together with all the Scripture proofs. She esteems that little
book very highly, and often expressed regret that she had not
learned it when young.

Her work, however, was by no means confined to the Presby-
terian Church. She was an earnest helper in every good work
going on around. She instituted and conducted for fifteen j'ears
the Brighton Young Women's Association, which now numbers
over 100 members, and has been the means of doing much good
among the young women of the town.

She also took a great interest in the education of the young,
and from the establishment of the Brighton School Board eight
years ago has been one of its most efficient members. The people
of Brighton showed their appreciation of her services by returning
her on two occasions at the top of the poll. She made it part of
her work to come into personal contact with the teachers and
scholars; one Chief aim being to press upon them the importance of
Biblical instruction. With this object also in view she conducted a

2i8 ' The Chinese Recorder [April

Bible class for the female pupil teachers once a month and gave
annually a number of silver medals to the best conducted boy and
girl in each of the Board schools. Of the many gifts she received
when leaving she prized none more highly than the beautiful
microscope presented by the teachers and children of the Board
schools. Miss Ricketts was also an earnest advocate of temperance,
and sought by every means in her power to lead young and old to
avoid that which has proved a curse to so many."

It was a bold step in those days for Miss Ricketts to leave the
active and useful life she had been living in Brighton and to
exchange it for what must have seemed the uncertain opportunities
and the certain toil and loneliness of a new beginning in China.
She was greatly influenced and encouraged to take this step by the
late Rev. W. Duff us, of the Swatow Mission, who was then at home
on furlough. Mr. Duffus was an ideal missionary, warm-hearted
and loyal, with a sound judgment that commanded respect, though
too modest to be widely known beyund the circle of friends who
knew and loved him. Whatever encouragement he gave to Miss
Ricketts at home he amply made good by unfailing sympathy and
kindness after her arrival in China. She made her home during
the early years with Mr and Mrs. Duffus, and always cherished a
grateful memory of all the kindness which made it a home indeed.

In another respect Miss Ricketts was singularly happy in the
circumstances under which she began her work in Swatow. The
field had been well prepared before she came. Of the 825 persons
baptized up to theend of 1878 about 311, or 38 per cent of the whole,
were women. Five years before, in September, 1873, a girls' boarding-
school had been founded, and in it sixteen girls were receiving a
sound Christian education. There was then in the Swatow Mission
a remarkable group of three ladies — Mrs. Gauld, Mrs. Mackenzie,
and Mrs. Duffus — not only "missionaries' wives," but missionaries
of the best type. They knew the language, they loved each other,
and they loved the Chinese women and girls; and so were "true
yokefellows," labouring much in the I^ord and greatly comforting
and strengthening the Christian women. It is to the zeal of these
ladies that the Swatow Mission owes the fact that it had a girls'
boarding-school one year before it had a theological college, and
three years before it had a boys' boarding-school.

Again, in the American Baptist Mission Miss A. M. Fielde had
for many years been working in ways of her own devising, both in
training Bible-women and in country visitation and itinerant
evangelization with their help. An address given by her at the
General Conference in Shanghai in 1877 had greatly helped to
impress the value of such work on the mind of the missionary body
in China as a whole.

Thus when Miss Ricketts came to Swatow she found the way
prepared for her. There was already a considerable body of Chris-
tian women, the ground had been broken and work taken in hand ;
and both in her own and in the sister American Mission, there was
a group of like-minded ladies prepared to welcome her as a fellow-
worker. They had indeed, as one of them wrote, " for years been
longing and praying for such a labourer." The initial stage of
hesitation and doubt had already been lived through. The first

1908] In Memoriam 219

answer to the appeal from Swatow was the appointment of Miss
Ricketts ; and the second was the formation soon after of a " Women's
Missionary Association."

Her coming was a signal instance of a prepared soul led to a
prepared place, and she fitted in at once to the position to which
she was called ; and never, I think, in her twenty-nine years of
service did she doubt whether she was in her right sphere of service.

We all admired the simplicity and docility with which she
entered on the child's task of learning to speak. After her many
years of service at home she was not young enough to accomplish
the task with ease, and perhaps never acquired the fluency and
idiomatic ease which can be attained by younger students. But if
she lacked something in these respects she made up for it by the
steady perseverance with which she worked. For many years,
indeed I think throughout her life, she was at pains to write out
nearly all that she was to say in teaching — addresses, questions,
and expositions. She had naturally a clear and pleasant voice,
with so true and pure an enunciation that it was always a pleasure
to listen to her English speaking, and this stood her in good stead
in the enunciation of Chinese. The clear unhurried utterance
made her speaking easy to understand even for dull and untaught
Chinese women, and it seemed the natural expression of a singularly
clear and well ordered mind.

While working persistently at the language Miss Ricketts
early began to visit occasionally the country stations in company
with Mrs. Mackenzie, or with one of the ladies of the American
Mission. This kind of work had great attractions for her, and even
in later years, when her health was not strong, it did not seem to
suffer readily from the discomforts of inland travel. A quick sense
of humour, and a keen eye for what was new, quaint, or specially
significant, made her journeys a source of stimulus and relief from
the tedium of prolonged study.

Throughout her life Miss Ricketts spent much time and labour
in writing -and printing booklets and sheet-tracts. Some of these
were translations and many were of her own composition, or were
written for her use by preachers and others. In English she wrote
with great facility, and her letters were always bright and vivid in
detail, well fitted both to interest and to instruct friends at home.
Like many missionaries, when the burden of work became heavier,
she wrote much less than in the earlier years of comparative
freedom.

The form of work in which Miss Ricketts was happiest and
most successful was in the teaching of women. Drudgery was
naturally distasteful to her eager nature, but with women bright
or dull she would take infinite pains, bearing with their slowness
to learn and making every effort to adapt her teaching to their
comprehension. She had many little plans for awakening interest
or quickening memory, and the dullest could hardly fail to learn
from her. To how few teachers would it have occurred to fix in the
minds of a class the list of the fruits of the Spirit by giving to each
of them for the time being one of these gracious names ! She called
them "Love," "Joy," "Peace," and so on, and next morning
greeted each of them by her new name to their great delight ; and

220 The Chinese Recorder [April

when shortly afterwards the preacher for the day read the words in
church and preached on them, there were many smiles of recogni-
tion and appropriation. Not only was memory aided, but an un-
conscious desire to illustrate one's own name could hardly fail to be
created. "Love" could scarcely be churlish, or "Joy" downcast.
Perhaps one of Miss Ricketts' best gifts was a sympathetic under-
standing of simple minds, which made her willing to use the most
humble methods to influence them for good.

The greater part of her life in China was spent in Swatow, but
in later years she took up her residence in Chao-chow-foo. Her
health was good, as a rule, though she was always subject to
occasional feverish colds. But even when those attacks came on,
with accompanying weakness, a class or a country visit seemed to
supply the needed stimulus, and often restored her wonted health.
When in the last two years of her life these remedies failed, it
became too evident that her strength was failing. In times of
depression, or when tempted to anxiety, she used to encourage
herself with little phrases which had become proverbial to her,
generally embodying some past experience of help or comfort.
Thus a recollection of some railway journej' which had been cloud-
ed by anxiety about an expected difficulty of transport from one
station to another in the middle of it, was summed up in the w^ords,
"Well! there are not two stations at Hereford!" Some such
phrase, in a cheery voice, with a bright smile, banished many a
cloud both for herself and for others. She had taught herself not
to cross her bridges till she came to them, and the lesson stood her
in good stead. When the last stage was reached, though there had
been some depression before, she was one of those for whom, in
Bunyan's sweet phrase, the River was in a manner dry, while it has
overflowed its banks for others. "She had received a token from
the King, an arrow sharpened with love, let easily into her heart,
which wrought so effectually with her that at the time appointed
she must be gone."

We could hardly be sure that she knew she was dying. There
was no anxiety, and there were no sad farewells. She felt very
tired, and quietly slipped away to the Home where her heart had
long been.

Her colleagues of the Swatow Mission Council have recorded
their sense of loss and their regard for her memory in the following
minute : —

" The Council records with deep regret the loss which we have
sustained in the death of Miss Ricketts.

"We have lost one whom we loved as a friend and held in
honour as a fellow-worker. Looking back on her long years of
service in China, and remembering how peacefully she passed into
her rest, we feel that deep thankfulness to God in her behalf is
more fitting than any expressions of sorrow.

" Miss Ricketts entered upon her work here twenty-nine years
ago with an equipment of mental gifts, experience of Christian
service at home, and gracious Christian character, which signally
fitted her to be the first missionary of the W. M. A.

" Accustomed to the keen interests and busy life of Christian
philanthropy in England, she turned from it to the tedious labour

1908]

Correspondence

221

of acquiring the Chinese language with a patience, courage, and
persistence which were manifestly sustained and sweetened by a real
devotion to her Lord and a loving desire to be helpful to the
Chinese women to whose service He had called her,

"She had the 'heart at leisure from itself which would
grudge no labour for others and which claimed in return only what
was freely and amply rendered to her — the love which love inspires.
We cannot here record the varied labours of these many years, still
less measure their abundant fruitfulness. Miss Ricketts was most
wise and patient in planning her work, most faithful and diligent
in executing it. In teaching, visiting, and personal dealing she made
full proof of her ministry. She will be held in affectionate memory
as long as any remain who knew her in life, and her influence
will outlast her memory in hearts touched and lives redeemed
through the Word of God which abideth for ever. The Word was
her own study and delight, and she laboured to give it a free course
which will not be checked, though she has entered into her rest.

" With sadne.ss and joy we record this brief memorial of a life
so gracious and fruitful, closed here in honour, but remembered as
an inspiration, and now, through the grace of our L,ord, crowned
with immortality."

John C. Gibson.

Swatow.

Correspondence.

FATHER HAVRET AND NEST-
ORIANISM.

To the Editor of
"The Chinese Recorder."

Dear Sir : No one could object
to your adding to the many
existing books and articles on
so interesting a matter as the
Ne.storian Mi.ssions to China,
even if the new article had no
really fresh information to give.
But it is a little disappointing to
find in Mr. Walsh's most lucid
and interesting lectures that the
late Father Havret's splendid
work is apparently ignored, and
to read (on p. 134 in your March
issue) "The translation of the
Abb^ Hue has been mainly fol-
lowed." Hue's " so-called tran-
slation " seems to have been
condemned by Wylie in the
pages of the Chinese Recorder

long ago, for Havret writes
( Vari^tes Sinologiques, No 12,
p. 339) : " After Pauthier, A.
Wylie charged the Abb^ Hue
with a number of mistakes made
in a few pages in his so-called
translation (cf. The Chin. Rec,
Vol. Vni, pp. 190, 191. Nestor-
ians in China). These accusa-
tions are not without foundation.
The Abb6 Hue should have been
content with the glory of a
traveller and the merit of a com-
piler without coveting fame as a
Chinese scholar."

C. M.

CHINESE " HOMES."

To the Editor of

"The Chinese Recorder."

Dear Sir : In a recent book
entitled " Heathenism under the
Search-light," p. 38, we read a

222

The Chinese Recorder

[April

statement which the search-light
has presumably revealed. "There
are no homes in heathendom.
Even the word ' home ' in the
native hieroglyphics is made up
of ' cover ' and ' hog ' which, when
placed together, naturally signify
a ' pig-sty.' No higher critic
would dare to assail the correct-
ness of this derivation." Now,
though I am not a higher critic,
I am bold enough to assail, etc.
That derivation is an old ' chest-
nut,' good enough for a poor
joke at the expense of China.
Everyone who studies the radicals
has made the amusing discovery.
But it is high time that serious
authors should cease resurrect-
ing it for the benefit of foreign
readers.

In the first place, the original
meaning is not 'home,' but
' family,' as is proved by its use
in the earliest Chinese writings.
In order to denote ' home,' a
dwelling, the addition of ^ is
necessary. We have therefore
to suppose the original inventor
of the character to have been
struck with the resemblance be-
tween his family and a litter of
pigs and to have invented ac-
cordingly ! I give him credit for
a little more sense than to revile
his family and every succeeding
family for millenniums, though
they all seem to have adopted
the new name for themselves
without demur ! !

In the next place the original
form of writing this character
was not the same as now, a fact
which amateur etymologists so
often forget. Men like Dr. Giles
give up Chinese etymology as a
hopeless business. (See his pre-
face to Dictionary, p. ix). But
the /^^l^ makes as good a guess
at this word as possible. It says :

1^ j^ ^. Those interested should

study the original forms of char-
acters as shown on bells, pots,
etc., of the Shang and Chow
dynasties, which are still pre-
served in various Chinese books
on the subject.

D.

THE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR
STAFF IN THE KIANGNAN.

To the Editor of

"The Chinese Recorder."

Dear Sir : In the portion of
the Kiangsu province south of
the Yangtze, the cities of Shang-
hai, Soochow, Nanking, Chin-
kiang, Sunkiang, Kiangyin,
Wusih and Changchow are oc-
cupied by foreign missionaries,
and perchance also Tsingp'u by
one lady. To give round numbers
which are proximately correct
and easily remembered there are
about 360 missionaries, of whom
one-half reside in Shanghai, one-
sixth in Soochow and Nanking
each, one-twelfth in Chinkiang
and one-twelfth in the other
cities. In the eastern metropolis
are centred the great agencies
and managing councils which
either aid or direct a consider-
able part of the work carried on
in the provinces. This is special-
ly true of the literary and
publishing departments. In the
three great cities are concentrat-
ed much of the high educational
work of the entire province, so
we would naturally expect the
number of bishops, directors
and superintendents ; presidents,
professors and teachers ; trans-
lators, editors and agents to be
large. The facts correspond
with the theory and probably
five-sixths of the entire force
belong to the indoor staff. The
influence of the literature dis-
tributed among fifty million
readers ; the training of several

1908]

Our Book Table

223

thousand pupils in the uuiver-
sitieJi, colleges and schools ; and
the medical aid given annually
to two hundred thousand patients
has a beneficent and sometimes a
saving effect. Also many of the
clergy in these departments of
work preach with power and
unction on the Sabbath, and not
a few ladies give hours to the
instruction of the benighted wom-
en of Sinim, and these, both
men and women, aid no little in
the evangelization of the twelve
millions of the Kiangnau.

Yet only about sixty men and
their wives, including a small
company of noble unmarried
women, are left to bring the
Gospel to the people of twenty
walled cities, four hundred mar-
ket towns and ten thousand vil-
lages. These are assisted b}' a
goodly number of native work-
ers, some of whom have been
trained in the schools. Com-
paratively little work is done
west of the Grand Canal. Truly
a heavy burden rests upon the
outdoor staff.

The congregations in the cities
were never larger, and new church-
es more capacious in size need
to be built, and the services on
the six days should correspond
more with the holy sanctity of
the worship on the Sabbath. In
the towns large tea-shops can be

rented for forty or fifty cents for
the evening and throngs gladly
attend the evangelistic meetings.
In the hamlets the peasants ga-
ther to hear either the foreign or
the Chinese preacher. The re-
ports from the native helpers in
regard to how the people gladly
listen, seem to have a touch of
Apostolic days. The converts
and true inquirers move along
the lines of self-support. The
gates are thrown wide open.

Not only is the evcry-day
p?eac/ie?-k'md\y received, but also
the single ladies find great and
effectual doors for the hard task
of teaching country women. Oh,
that the Ladies' Home Societies
would embrace this opportunity !

The beloved wife, who for
near six and thirty years has la-
boured much in the Lord, goes
regularly to church with either
husband or son ten times a week
and has charge of the " woman's
side" and the woman's inquiry
room. The writer, since the
day of his arrival on these shores,
has never so fully enjoyed preach-
ing in city, town and country
as during the last fall. This
"joy of the Lord" in speakjug
of Christ and Him crucified rather
indicates sympathetic hearing on
the part of the dwellers on this
great plain.

Hampden C. DuBose.

Our Book Table.

The object of these Reviews is to give real information about
books. Authors will help reviewers by sending with their books,
price, original if any, or any other facts of interest. The custom
of prefixing an English preface is excellent.

The subject of this little book
was, in many respects, a beauti-
ful type of the great majority of
lady missionaries in China. "A
minister's bairn," cultivated and
consecrated, she did what she

A Brief Sketch of the Life of
Jessie M. Johnston, for eighteen
years a missionary in Amoy. By
her sisters, Meta and Lena, with
a preface by her mother. Publish
ed by T. French Dowuie, Warwick
Lane, London.

224

The Chinese Recorder

[Apri

could to glorify her Master and
uplift the girls in her school and
the women with whom she came
in contact.

The book has an artistic cover,
is printed on beautiful white
paper and has many pretty illus-
trations. The narrative is deep-
ly interesting and the book would
be a fitting gift to present to a
thoughtful girl.

The Student World, January, 1908.
Published quarterly by the World's
Student Christian Federation. John
R. Mott, General Secretary and
Editor. 3 West 29th Street, New
York City. 40 pages. Illustrated.
Price I shilling, 50 sen, or 25 cents,
Gold.

This new publication deserves
and will doubtless receive a warm
welcome from students in all
lands. Among the contributors
to the first number may be found
Dr. Carl Fries, Chairman of the
Federation ; Bishop Honda, of
Japan ; Mr. John R. Mott ; Bishop
Roots, of Hankow ; Mr. Robert
P. Wilder, of Student Volunteer
Movement fame in America, and
Baron Paul Nicolay, of Russia.

Bishop Honda in writing of
" Some Results of the Federation
Conference in Japan "says : *' The
Conference must be reckoned
with by all students of Japanese
history, however much it may
go against their prejudice to take
this attitude." "The public
were greatly impressed with the
oneness of the Christian move-
ment throughout the world ;' '
" there is a deeper realization of
the true reality of the spiritual
lif e. ' ' "The Conference brought
home to Japanese Christians a
sense of their prestige in the Far
East somewhat corresponding to
the political prestige the nation
enjoys."

Mr. Mott's article on "The
Chinese Student Migration to

Tokyo," reveals a masterly in-
sight of the situation ; it is well
illustrated and accompanied by
a graphic outline map of China
and Japan, showing by means of
arrows the number of students
from each province studying in
Tokyo.

Baron Nicolay' s account of
"The Students of Russia," also
illustrated, is very interesting.

Several pages are devoted to
" News of the Student World"
and ' ' Reviews ' ' of recent publi-
cations of special interest to
students.

The whole make-up of the
magazine is neat and in a style
to appeal to students ; there is
nothing in the 40 pages to skip
or skim over.

(Subscriptions may be sent to
the ofiice of any Student Move-
ment in the Federation.)

E. E. M.

S # Ife IB A- il S. "The Progress
and Place of Christianity in the
Ivife of Great Nations and Peoples."

This little book of 74 pp. read-
ing matter is the translation by
the General Committee of the
Y. M. C. A. of " a series of ad-
dresses delivered at the World's
Student Christian Federation Con-
ference held at Tokyo," Japan,
last year. It is without illus-
trations. The press work is at-
tractive and was done by the
Commercial Press. The price,
single copy by mail, is 15 cents.
Taken at the office, or in quan-
tities of ten or more, 10 cents
per copy.

The original was in the form
of five lectures as follows : —

1. Great Britain and Chris-
tianity. Frank Eenwood, M.A.,
Oxford University.

2. The United States of Ame-
rica and Christianity. President
J. F. Goucher, EE.D.

1908]

Our Book Table

225

3. France and Christianity.
Professor Henri Bois.

4. Germans' and Christianity.
Rev. Theophill Mann.

5. The African People and
Christianity. W. A. Hunton,
B.A.

The translation is by Mr. Zia
Hong-lai, and done neatly and
clearly. The style is clear and
not too difficult. It is admirably
adapted for a large circulation
among the students in the col-
leges as well as all other think-
ing young men. It seeks to
stimulate thought and then to
inform the mind as to the far-
reaching benefits of Christianity
on nations and races. This is
done by personal testimony of
leading representatives. With
its attractive subject and very
presentable appearance it will
surely have a large reading.

J. W. C.

S If IS; 1^- (See advertis-
ing pages. "The Church of
Christ.") This book is a tran-
slation b}'^ Dr. Macklin of an
English book, the name of which
he has failed to send us. We
are left in ignorance also as to
the name of the author.

The aim of the book is to
present a brief but comprehensive
statement of the origin, teaching
and early growth of the Chris-
tian church.

If the book is intended for
non-Christian readers, more ex-
planation of names and terms
should have been given, for it
takes altogether too much for
granted as to the knowledge
possessed by the readers. The
Scriptures are quoted very freely,
but more extended commentar}'
on their meaning is necessary for
the uninitiated.

In style the mandarin is .so
simple as almost to be colloquial,

and we think in places it is
hardly dignified enough to be
in keeping with the subject treat-
ed.

The translator has endeavor-
ed to eliminate all distinctively
denominational teaching from the
book. This is of course difficult,
and in places it seems to have
crept in.

For instance i Cor. iii. 40 is
quoted, but no reference is made
to I Cor. i. 12. According to
many commentators there was a
party in the church of Corinth
that called itself the Christ party,
just as others referred to them-
selves as the party of Paul, or
Cephas, or Apollos. The assump-
tion of a name does not necessarily
preclude the existence of a party
or denominational spirit.

Apart from the slight imperfec-
tions to which we have referred,
the book contains a simple sum-
mary of the Christian religion
and faith, and we think might be
of use in the instruction of those
who are preparing for baptism
or who have just been admitted
to membership in the church.

F. I.. H. P.

REVIEWS BY J. D.

% R ftl HU Green's History of the En-
glish People. Abridged. Translated
by Dr. W. E. Macklin and Mr. Li
Yu-shu. Presbyterian Mission Press.

Everyone knows that Green's
History of the English People
is a valuable and useful book.
This abridgment, translated by
Dr. Macklin, is a book of 112
leaves and brings the history
down to the accession of Henry
the Eighth. The Dr. presented
a copy of his book to the Viceroy
and received from him the follow-
ing appreciation. Reply from
Tuan Fang :

"I respectfully state that I
received your letter and the first

226

The Chinese Recorder

[Apri 1

volume of the History of the
Eughsh People which you have
translated. It is brief, condensed
and excellent beyond compari-
son. Now that China is prepar-
ing to adopt a constitution it is
needful for us to study the insti-
tutions of our neighbour states.
This book is fit to be a guide to
us. I have read it repeatedly
and value it beyond riches. I
write this to express my thanks.
Card enclosed."

The great Viceroy of the I^iang-
kiang is not only a statesman,
but an author, yet the present
reviewer must record his dissent
from his estimate of this book.
It is printed on mao-pien paper
in the old-fashioned double leaf
style, which was good form in
ancient times. I doubt if a single
book got up in this fashion has
been issued from the native pub-
lishing houses in Shanghai for
ten years past. If we aspire to
point out the path of reform to
the Chinese, we should present
our thoughts in such a dress as
will show that we are up to date
in the art of book making.

There is a preface to this book,
but no table of contents, and
though divided into sections
there are no chapters. The style
is just the opposite of what the
Viceroy says it is, but it has
this merit, it is easy to be under-
stood.

^ ^ K ^ &. The Industrial History
of England. By H. De B. Gib-
bins, Litt.D. University Extension
Series. Translated by two Chinese.
Edited by Dr. Timothy Richard.
C. L. S. Price, 40 cents.

The book from which this
translation is made is an ex-
tremely valuable one. The au-
thor is an authority on the sub-
ject of political economy and his
writings contain the very in-
formation which the Chinese

stand most in need of at this
moment.

De Gibbins' Histor}' of Com-
merce in Europe is already acces-
sible to the Chinese. That book
was translated into Japanese, and
has reached the Chinese through
the medium of that language.

At a time when the local
press is turning oixt hundreds of
volumes of bad translations of
mediocre English novels (>j> ^
"small talk") it is interesting
to see in this the kind of a book
which Dr. Richard recommends
to the study of the Chinese,

The book sets forth with great
lucidity the progress of England
from being an agricultural to be-
coming a manufacturing nation,
and so points the path which
China is about to tread. It
shows with equal clearness that
the value of money is propor-
tionate to its purchasing power,
that high wages are no certain
index of the prosperity of the
workers. The sufferings of the
poor are graphically pourtrayed,
and it is shown that, in Britain,
they were mercilessly fleeced,
first by the titled landowners,
then by the wealthy capitalists.

The author means his book to
point a moral. Toward the
close he says : " The day of the
capitalist has come and he has
made full use of it. The day of the
labourer will come." Twenty
years have passed since these
words were penned. To-day the
day of the labourer has dawned
and the wealthy classes in Britain
view, not without consternation,
the vigorous action of the social
and labour party in the present
House of Commons.

It may be that the lessons to be
drawn from the facts set forth in
this book would be more easily
apprehended by the Chinese if
they were set forth in a .series
of essays containing the gist of

1908]

Oui Book Table

227

the author's teaching without
the dry detail ot his argument.
But it is certain the Chinese will
not always want us to do their
thinking for them. The time is
coming when they will ask us to
give them a correct statement of
facts and allow them to think
out their own conclusions.

The Chinese text makes a
book of 1 60 pages. It is printed
on white foreign paper, has an
index and glossary and is excel-
lently arranged and put together.

The translation is by two
Chinese, which means, presum-
ably, that one was the English
scholar and dictated the contents
of the book to the other, who
excelled in Chinese scholarship.
The style — Wen-Ii — is clear and
fairly smooth, showing that the
Chinese writer was quite equal
to his part of the task. A some-
what extended experience has
convinced me that it is impos-
sible to get a Chinese who could
translate a book of this kind
without making numerous mis-
takes. The translator of this
book is no exception to the
general rule, but, sometimes, one
is inclined to pity, rather than
blame, him because of the in-
herent difficulty of the language
he is translating. An example
occurs in the first paragraph of
Chapter II, Page 5. "Now it
is impossible to understand the
conditions of this industry (agri-
culture) without first glancing
at the tenure of land as existing
about the time." This is trans-

lated 'Si^xm^md^^^^
fflM^miia:itig^. It is

evident that in the translator's
mind " agriculture " and " in-
dustry " are nouns in opposition
to each other, just as in Chinese
J^ X means agriculture a?id
industry. But in the English
of this passage agriculture is an
industry. The translator is con-

fused by this and translates the
second word X '^> which means
"manufactures." This leads
him deeper into the mire and he
finishes the sentence, as may be
seen, without a predicate at all.

Pages 167-8 repudiate the now
exploded theory that national
wealth consists in the accumula-
tion of bullion. The native press
so continually harps on the theme
that much money is drained
away from China in the shape
of sycee to pay for foreign im-
ports that many Chinese con-
scientiously believe their country
is being ruined by its foreign
trade. If they could learn that
gold is merely an article of ex-
change the same as, say, cotton
and that if value is received,
the country is not necessarily
poorer, but may be richer for
its exportation, one cause of
their antagonism to foreigners in
general would be removed. Un-
fortunately the translation of this
passage is so vague that one
cannot tell from the Chinese text
what lesson is meant to be con-
veyed. Indeed where the Eng-
lish text states as an absurdity
"The belief that the policy of
increasing our national greatness
could only be attained in one
way, that was at the expense of
our neighbours," the Chinese
text misses out the absurdity and
states the fallacy as a fact.

The book is, as has been stated,
a very valuable one, and one can
only hope that such mis-trans-
lations as occur, will be corrected
in a second edition, which will
surely be called for.

^ :S »S il4 * §. England in Egypt,
by Lord Milner. Translated by Yin
Pao-lo. Edited by Timothy Ri-
chard, Litt.D. Christian Literature
Society. 3 vols. Map. Price ;|i.5o

It has often been said that the
work accomplished by Great

228

The Chinese Recorder

[April

Britain in Egypt is great enough
to justify the claim often made
by Britons that their country
has, in a preeminent measure,
the genius for governing alien
peoples.

Miluer's England in Egypt is
sober history, but it is more
fascinating reading than a ro-
mance. Every page bears evid-
ence that the writer is striving to
tell modestly the achievements of
v^diich he feels his countrymen
may be justly proud. For the
Chinese the book is one of
surpassing interest. Egypt, the
basest of kingdoms, has, in an
incredibly short space of time,
raised herself from the dust.
Lord Milner tells us that the
international complications which
oppressed the country in 1882
were like " the nightmare of some
constitutional theorist with a
disordered brain," Yet to-day
Egypt is making rapid strides
along the path of civilization and
prosperity. She has reclaimed
the Empire of the Sudan by force
of arms and she has a just as-
piration to be independent and
free. ' ' The revival of the country
during the last ten years under,
and in spite of adverse conditions,
is almost worthy of a fairy tale."
That China's rulers may read
this book and be inspired thereby
to make the history of China
during the next ten years a
similar "fairy tale" is, we may
be sure, the aim of the editor in
publishing it.

The translator, Mr. Yin Pao-
lo, is well known as the late Dr.
Allen's writer. His style is clear
and smooth and, unquestionably,
he is able to express in forceful
Chinese any idea which is vividly
before his own mind. A cursory
reading shows that a literal
translation has not been attempt-
ed. Sometimes a paragraph is
omitted, sometimes only para-

phrased. There is nothing to
object to in this method of
dealing with a book if the tran-
slator is able always to seize on
the salient fact in the paragraph
and reproduce it. Mr. Yin has
not always been successful in so
doing. It is scarcely putting it
too strongly to say that his
knowledge of English is not
adequate to the task of translat-
ing a book of this kind. An
example will show how his hazy
conception of the meaning of the
English text makes him some-
times write an impotent Chinese
sentence. Vol. Ill, page 105 :

"If at some future time Egypt
is able to be independent and not
to need help from another coun-
try then, she will, perhaps, not
need it." Of course not.

Two paragraphs, chosen al-
most at random from different
sections of the book, will show
how Mr. Yin fails now and then
to understand the meaning of his
text-book. Page 13: " But the
English government and people
were swept along in spite of
themselves by the current of
events. First the desire to
humour France and keep in step
with the foreign policy of M.
Gambetta, then the fearfully
rapid spread of popular and
religious excitement in Egypt
brought about a situation in
which the cult of laissez faire
was no longer possible even to
its most faithful votaries."
This is translated in Vol. I, page

r'J ^ tUI fi A ^ tS ^ it ':5c
I'l ^ ^: ^ J ± f= ^ T> %l E>

n m -^ m ^ '^ 4. u we

translate the translation it reads :
" First the position of Britain in
Egypt (was such that she) could

1908]

Our Book Table

229

not permit France to tnke the
first . place ; second it was not
to be endured that in the strife
of religions the ancient Christian
Church in Egypt should for
ever be oppressed and fettered
by the Mohammedans," which
is a totally different, not to say
opposite, statement to that made
in the English text.

On page 360 we read : " Such
would be the natural, the whole-
some, development of British
policy in Egypt. Foreign jea-
lousy may interfere with the
programme, native impatience
may upset it. In that case the
game of Egyptian independence
is up." Vol. in, page 105 : ]I;[^

m ^m^'nm^ .§•' ^ >c> #

m ^ -^^ % '^ mm i.^M'B.n
jt s i ^ >6 ^ ^ Hh M ^.

This translated reads: "This
is really the aim of Britain in her
dealings with Egypt. Those of
other nations who are jealous
may sometimes interfere with it ;
native Egyptians who are restless
also continually try to upset it,
but the desire of the F^gyptians
for independence and self-go-
vernment may be begotten from
this." This is also a very dif-
ferent statement from that made
in the text.

In spite of these obvious de-
fects the book is, on the whole,
very good, and will be of great
good in pointing out to the
Chinese the path which leads to

prosperity and freedom from the
trammels of extra-territoriality.

It should be added that the
book is printed in clear type on
white foreign paper with an
artistic and Egyptian looking
cover. There is a good glo.ssary
at the end, and it is easy and
pleasant reading.

BOOKS, ETC, RECEIVED.

Directory of Hunan, 1908. (In 1903,
47 workers; now. 176). Excellent
idea. Broadcast Tract Press, Chang-
slia.

Term Question, paper read at meeting
of C. of E., Shantung, makes good
use of Havret (French) and other
authorities.

TheiVIission Amongthe Higher Classes,
19th and 20th Reports, by Dr Gil-
bert Reid.

China's Young Men. Febroary, 1908.
Progress of work among young
men during 1907

Macmillan & Company s Books.

Essay and Letter Writing, with Mod-
els and Outlines. By F. H. Brooks-
bank, B.A., Assistant Master in the
Ras El Tin School, Alexandria.
Price 2/6.

A Short French Grammar. Compris-
ing essentials of accidence and syn-
tax, with a chapter on the French
sounds, lists of words for practice
in pronunciation and spelling and
notes on French versification and
etymology. By Otto Siepmarin,
Head of the Modern Language De-
partment at Clifton College. Price
2/6.

La Bibliotheque de mon Oncle. Par
Rodolphe Topffer. Siepinann's
French series for rapid reading.
Price 6d.

Books in Preparation.

(Correspondence invited.)

The following books are in course
of preparation. Friends engaged in
translation or compilation of books
are invited to notify Rev. D. Mac-
Gillivray, 44 Boone Road, Shanghai,
of the work they are engaged on, so
that this column may be kept up

to date, and overlapping prevented.
N. B. Some whose names have been
on this list a long time are asked to
write and say if they have given up
the work, or what progress, if any,
they are making. Perhaps they are
keeping others from doing the work»

230

The Chinese Recorder

[April

C.L. S. List:

Booker T. Washington's "Up from
Slavery." By Mr. Kao Lun-ching.

Selections from Hastings' Bible Dic-
tionary. By D. MacGillivray.

The Incarnate vSaviour. By D. Mac-
Gillivray.

Three-fold Secret of the Holy Spirit
(McConkey). By Miss Home (out).

Japanese Educational System. E.
Morgan (out).

Sharman's "Studies in the Life of
C)irist. " By Miss Sarah Peters.
Nearly ready for the press.

Ballantine's Inductive Studies in
Matthew.

Alone with God, by Dr. J. H. Garri-
son. \V. Reiufry Hunt.

Psalms, Metrical Version of, by F.
W. Bailer (in press).

The Five Great Offerings. By F, W.
Bailer (in press).

Organ Instructor. By Mrs. R. M.
Mateer.

Teddy's Button. Mrs. R. M. Mateer.

Murray's New Life. R. A. Haden.

Murray'sLikeChiist. By Mr. Chow,
Hangchow College.

Illustrations for Chinese Sermons,
by C. W. Kastler.

By the same. Chinese Preacher's
Manual and Daily Light for Chinese.

Systematic Theology. 12 parts.
Dr. DuBose.

Stepping Heavenward. By Mrs.
Crossette.

Expository Com. on Numbers. By
G. A. Clayton.

Expos. Com. on Hebrews, by G. L.
Pullan.

Little Meg's Children. By Mrs.
Crossette.

Prof. Chwolson's Hegel, Hackel,
Kossuth, and the 12th Commandment.
By F. Ohliuger.

Miss Garland proposes a Childrens'
Hymnal on a scale much larger than
hitherto attempted — in fact a Chinese
"Golden Bells."

Sermons on Acts. Geuahr.

Pontoppidan's Explanation of Lu-
ther's Catechism. American Lutlierau
Mission.

Outlines of Universal History. H.
L. W. Bevan, Medhurst College.

Concordance Dr. C. H. Fenu.

Essentials of Christianity (Methodist
Theology). Dr. A. P. Parker.

Torrey's What the Bible Teaches.
By J. Speicher.

Tholuck's Sermon on the Mount.
By J. Speicher.

Psychology for Teachers. By S. B.
Drake.

Ancient Babylonia and Assyria. By
S. B, Drake.

"His Great Apostle," and "His
Friends." By Rev. Chang Yang-hsiin.

Catechism for Primary Sunday
Schools. By Mrs. Crawford.

Choosing a Life Work — Yours. A
manual of texts for young Christians.

Stalker's Paul.

Robert Speer's Principles of Jesus,
J H. Jowett's The Passion for Souls.
Both in mandarin. Many Infallible
Proofs. Inspiration of a Christian,
Fulness of Power. By J. Vale.

Mrs. Nevius' Mandarin Hymn Book.

Dr. and Mrs. Nevius' Manual for
Christians, with answers to the ques-
tions.

Practical Chemistry in three parts :
I. Inorganic, Elementary.
II. Inorganic, Qualitative and

Quantitative Analysis.
III. Organic. By H. G. Whitcher
and Bae Yii-chang.

Practical Physics, by the same and
Liu Kuang-chao.

Higher Algebra, by the same and
Liu Kuang-chao.

The Roman Theology and the Word
of God, by Alphonso Argento.

Constructive Studies in Life of
Christ. H. W. Luce.

New Primer of Standard Romaniza-
tion on the Accumulative Method.
By Frank Garrett.

By V. M. C. A. :—

Main Lines in the Bible. Fred. S.
Goodman.

How to Study the Bible. Torrey.

Habit. Prof William James.

Stones from the Brook.

Fundamental Principles of the
Christian Life. H. C. King.

Outline Studies in Biblical Facts and
History. J. N. De Puy andj. B. Travis.

1908]

Missionary News

231

How to put it in Chinese.

NoTR — Under this heading it is proposed to give readers of the
Recorokr an opportunity to ask questions regarding the best rendering
into Cliinese of Ihouj^hts difficult of translation. When practicable a reply
from some competent person will be secured and printed with each question.
Unsolicited answers are also earnestly desired in order to furnish a basis for
a comparison of views and usages in reference to the points raised.

Question i. What is the best
translation for " Bible study for
personal spiritual growth?" Is
the word "spiritual" best ex-
pressed by 5^ ,JJ», or is there
some other expression which
carries with it the idea of the
spiritual as contrasted with the
intellectual and the moral life ?
How can the emphasis be placed
on the idea of study as contrasted
with mere reading?

Question 2. How translate the
term " consecration meeting" as
understood by the Christian En-
deavour Society ?

B.

Question 3. What is the best
way to translate the idea of a
" self-supporting" church? Do
not the characters g ^ indicate
more than s-ilf-support and imply
the thought of independence as
well ?

F.

Mr. Zia Hung-lai's replies : —

1. f® A :€ ^ (or i(^ M ji
^) JtUU W^ % will cover
the whole expression, but it is
too long for a title of a book, and
^ >2* can be used, but ^ ^ ff-^
or ^ 6{/ is much better, ^jf %.
for study is a Japanese term, but
very forcible and clear.

2. The best I can think out
is JilJ iti» #• I believe it is al-
ready in use.

3- & jt ^o^ independent, ^
^ for self-support, ^ fj^ for
self-government, and g j^ for
self-propagate.

Ayiother A?iswer.

issi^^5j^m*6± urn-

Bible studv for spiritual growth.

3lfii6'^*6^«i^- Spiritual
study.

0^ jE '^- Consecration meet-
ing.

|§ jjr. Self-support, necessari-
ly implies self-government, there-
fore nothing better than this
term.

E. M.

Missionary News.

stirring Times in
Manchuria.

Rev. George Douglas writes
as follows from Liaoyang,
Manchuria : —

You will be glad to hear that
we have had a wonderful spirit-
ual experience in the church here
last month. Mr. Goforth, of the
Canadian Presbyterian Mission,

came amongst us to conduct a
week's special meetings. In view
of these I had sent two of our
Christians to see something of
the work of grace in Korea, and
they came back on fire. The
result has been a great outpour-
ing of the Spirit here and at
Moukden in answer to earnest
prayer. The manifestations of
His presence have been very si-

232

The Chinese Recorder

April

milar to those in North Korea, —
a profound conviction and con-
fession of sin, accompanied by
great emotion and general
pleading for mercy and for-
giveness from the whole body of
the people, and a sense of
responsibility for the state of the
heathen around. Just at present
there is a lull in this city, but a
band of evangelists is going
round the eastern out-stations of
my circuit and I am receiving
extraordinary letters from wher-
ever they go. There are abject
confessions of secret idolatry,
fraud, theft, adultery, opium-
smoking, gambling, various
forms of deceit, resistance to the
Spirit, and indifference to the
salvation of souls. These are
made before the whole congrega-
tion and in great distress. It
has been a most awe-inspiring
and humbling experience for us
all. Even outsiders have been
drawn into the tempe'sts of con-
fession and prayer, and in some
cases great fear has fallen upon
the neighbourhood. " What has
come over these Christians,"
they say; " Yamen torture
could not draw confessions such
as these from human lips, and
they are respectable people
enough." "Don't go near them,"
say others, "their Spirit is come
down, and He is irresistible;
you will be drawn in next before
you know it."

Give thanks with us for this
great grace He has vouchsafed to
us spite of our poverty-stricken
faith.

School Teachers
Day-schools :

American Reformed Church
Mission, Amoy.
Statistics for 1907.

Stations occupied 4

Ordained native pastors 13

Unordained native evangelists 34

Bible-women 10

j Men
{ Women

Boarding-schools:]^-^^

25
5

12
8

Total native force 107

Churches and Members.

Separate church organizations 14

Out-stations 36

Regular preaching places 50

Self supporting pastorates 14
Church members, communi-
cants 1.700

Baptized children 984

Inquirers 840

Received on confession 140

Loss by death 53

Other losses 22

Net increase 65

Schools. [Day-schools, 28, scholars 730
(.Boarding 8 ,, 493

Total scholars 1,223

Hospitals 2>. Patients treated 18.840
Contributions : Salaries 14,262.60
,, Missions 599-50

,, Other pur-

poses 5.533.27

„ Thank Offer-

ings 464.67

^10,860.04

* Literature. Scriptures sold 747

Given away 14

Books and Tracts sold 12,922

,, Given away 493

P. W. Pitcher.

♦ Incomplete returns.

Meeting of the Wu Shang
Synod.

The Wu Shang Synod, which is
composed of the Presbyteries of Hang-
chow, Nanking, Ningpo, Shanghai
and Kiangcheh, was convened in
Shanghai at 10 a.m. February 12th,
1908. The opening sermon was preach-
ed in Chinese by the retiring
Moderator, Rev. Dr. Gilbert Reid,
from Matt. iii. 2 : " And saying, Re-
pent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is
at hand." A large attendance of
Chinese and foreigners marked the
meetings. Representatives from all
the Presbyteries were present, and also
from the Session of the Presbyterian

1908]

Missionary News

233

Church (Established Church of Scot-
land) at Ichang in the province of
Hupeh, no Presbytery having as yet
been formed in that province.

Rev. Sie Chi-1'.si, pa.stor of the Pres-
byterian Church in Haugchow, was
elected moderator and performed the
duties of this office with courtesy,
despatch and fairness. Committees
were appointed as follows : Pro-
gramme— Messrs. P. F. Price, Chu Kia-
jin and Chen An-ling. Devotional
exercises — Messrs. Chang Pao-tsu, G.
Reid and Li Heng-chun. After the
morning recess the Synod met at the
International Institute, where the
subsequent sessions were held. On
previous invitation of Dr. Reid the
Chinese members were hospitably
entertained at this place. The hours
of meeting were fixed as follows :
Devotional exercises from 9.30 to 10
a.m., business from 10 a.m. to noon
and from i to 4 p.m.

Encouraging reports from various
committees and news from the
different presbyteries were received.
Rev. Dr. J. C. Garritt and Chen Kin-
yung were appointed a committee to
recommend to all Presbyterian Church-
es within our bounds the erection of
Presbyteries as soon as possible in
order to unite with this Synod.

The Articles framed by the Council
of the Presbyterian Church in China
were adopted seriatim. While recog-
nizing the rights of individual cliurch
members to discuss political issues
and to fulfil the duties of loyal subjects
of China, the Synod decided that the
church, as such, should, according to
the teaching of Scripture, keep itself
free from interference with matters
which concern the government of the
state, and that the name of the church
should not be connected with politics.

Reports showed that since the last
meeting about one hundred have been
added to tlie membership of the
churches within our bounds. There
are now sixty-one ministers, thirty-
three sessions, thirty-one helpers,
fifteen students for the ministry,
seventy-three elders, fifty-nine dea-
cons. Total membership 3,367. In
the whole of China there are six sy-
nods, including this Synod of Wu
Shang with a grand total of about
53,000 members. As soon as the diffi-
culties of distance and dialect can be
overcome these synods will unite to
form the General Aassembly. But a
larger union is contemplated in our
deliberations.

The Synod adjourned on Saturday,
February 15th, after an impressive

service led by Rev. W. J. Drummond,
of Nanking, and the administration of
the Lord's Supper by the Moderator.
This body will meet, Deo voieiite, in
the city of Kashing, in the province
of Cliehkiang, at the North Gate
Church on the fifteenth day of the
First Slonth, 1910, at 2 p.m.

S. ISKTT WOODBRIDGE,

(Foreign) Stated Clerk.

The Japan Convention for

the Deepening of

Spiritual Life.

It will be welcome news to many that
during the summer holiday months
(July to September) a series of con-
ventions for the deepening of the
spiritual life will, D. V., be held this
year at Karuizawa and Gotemba.
The leading part in these meetings
will be taken by an old friend and
fellow-missionary, the Rev. B. F.
Buxton, whose labours in this country
were so much owned by God, and
who still has Japan so much on his
heart.

All who had the privilege of attend-
ing the meetings held last summer at
the above named resorts by the Revs.
George Litchfield and Gregory Man-
tle will, we feel sure, be glad to hear
of similar meetings this year ; and we
ask your prayers that refreshing show-
ers of grace may be poured upon
thirsty souls at and through these
meetings.

Mr. Buxton hopes also to conduct
meetings for Japanese Christians in
Tokyo and, if time and strength
allow, in Osaka and other places.

W. R. Gray,
Chairman Exec. Com.

Report of the Committee appoint-
ed to Petition the Shanghai
Municipal Council for the Clos-
ing of Opium Houses in the
Settlement.

The committee appointed by the
Shanghai Missionary Association for
the above purpose has held four meet-
ings ; a majority of the members
being present at each meeting. In
order to secure information on the
subject and to advise action, an
executive sub committee was appoint-
ed to interview H. B. M. Consul-

234

The Chinese Recorder

[Apri

General, members of the Municipal
Council, and leading ratepayers. This
committee did its work and reported,
with the result that a resolution was
drawn up and forwarded to the
Municipal Council. Thereafter the
appended correspondence explains
itself. In committing itself to an
approval of a two years' scheme for
closing the licensed opium houses,
the committee was guided by several
considerations. It was found that
such a plan was likely to receive
general support from the ratepayers,
whereas a resolution calling for
immediate abolition would have
provoked strong opposition. More-
over, definite assurance was given by
those concerned that the administra-
tive difficulty was a real one and
would need careful handling. It was
considered therefore that in securing
the support of the ratepayers to the
Council's scheme for entire closing
within two years an assurance of final
success was gained for this reform
which could hardl)' be obtained on
the chance success of 'a hostile resolu-
tion for immediate suppression. Hav-
ing striven to secure this result
through many long years it was felt
that it would have been unwise to
allow our impatience, however na-
tural, to endanger its attainment in
this period, though we have to wait
another year to see the end of the
licensing system in the Settlement.

By a reference to the last letter writ-
ten by the Council it will be seen
that they commit themselves condi-
tionally to a programme of reform to
find completion within two years. In
the resolution they offer to the rate-
payers on this subject, this intention
is not expres.sed. We understand that
an amendment will be moved at the
ratepayers' meeting to add to the
Council's resolution this expression of
intention to abolish the licensing of
all opium houses within that time. It
is the hope of your committee that
the resolution as amended, will receive
your hearty support and that you will
do all that is in your power to influ-
ence opinion in its favour.

On behalf of the Committee,

G. H. BONDFIELD,

Chairman of the Shanghai
Missionary Association.

W. N. BiTTON,

Chairman of the Anti-opium
Sub-committee.
H. L. W. Bevan,

Secretary of the Shanghai
Missionary Association.

The Month

It is reported from Peking that the
Empress- Dowager has felt so acutely
the indignity which Japan has put
upon China in the Tatsu Maru in-
cident that her health has suffered.
The rumour is once more current that
the Empress-Dowager intends to re-
sign Imperial power in favour of the
Emperor. Prince Chun, the enlighten-
ed Manchu prince, whose name is
frequently mentioned as the probable
heir apparent, is in high favour with
the Throne and is constantly con-
sulted about matters of great import-
ance. H. E. Yuan Shih-kai has again
resigned his post at the Waiwupu.
The resignatio;' is not accepted, but
it is considered likely that H. E.
Tang Hsiao-yi, who is now in Peking,
will succeed to the former's office in
the Waiwupu in the near future.
The anti-opium reform is expected
to benefit greatly by the return of H.
E Tang, who has made this his special
object. Mr. M. T. Liang, at present
Taotai of Shanghai, has been appoint-
ed a Junior Councillor of the Wai-
wupu.

Negotiations concerning the case of
the Tatsti Maru, which was seized by
the Chinese government for gun-
running in Chinese waters, have con-
tinued during the month and an
agreement has been reached. China
will apologize for the insult offered to
the Japanese flag, which was removed
from the Tatsu Mam and the Dragon
flag hoisted in its place, and will
purchase the cargo of guns and am-
munition ; Japan on her part promises
to exercise greater oversight in the
matter of similar cargoes in the
future. Another interesting exhibi-
tion of the newly-awakened national
feeling in China has accompanied
this incident. A proposal to boycott
Japanese commerce in South China
as an answer to Japan's exercise of
' force majeur ' has not met with much
response. The incident is considered
closed.

Marquis Katsura has formed an
Oriental Colonization Company, the
object of which is to exploit Korea.
A bill to subsidize this project has
been before the Japanese Diet and at
first met with considerable opposition.
A modified measure has now met with
parliamentary approval, and the Com-
pany is floated with the sanction and
help of the Japanese government.

1908]

Missionary News

235

The question of emigration is still
occupying attention in Japan. The
members of the Japanese House of
Commons, among whom are directors
of emigration companies, have organ-
ized themselves to attack Count Haya-
shi's policy of temporising with for-
eign powers on this question. It is stat-
ed, however, that the agreement arriv-
ed at between the American and Japan-
ese governments relative to emigra-
tion is satisfactory, and much cordial-
ity is being expressed between these
Powers. Courtesy is to be shown
to the American fleet by the Japanese.

A loan has been arranged through
the British government for the devel-
opment of the Peking-Kalgan Rail-
way. The Viceroy of the Shen-kan
provinces desires to build a bridge over
the Yellow River in the vicinity of
Lanchow and is arranging a loan for
this work with a foreign syndicate
at Tientsin. The German Consul at
Tsinaiifu has demanded concessions
for the development of coal mines in
the neighbourhood of Tientsin-Pukou
Railway and the Acting Governor of
Shantung has lodged a protest against
such a concession being given.

The reorganization of Thibet is oc-
cup> ing a good deal of China's atten-
tion just now. The British govern-
ment is demanding that a settlement
be made in regard to the opening of
Yatung and other Thibetan ports
to Anglo-Indian trade immediately.
China has authorized the spending of
Tls. 600,000 on Thibetan affairs and
is sending a special commissioner.
A request has been made by the Chi-
nese Resident in Lhassa that the Dalai
Lama, who fled to escape the British
troops and found refuge in China,
shall be made to return to the sacred
city. The Dalai Lama is now report-
ed to be staying with a nutnerous
retinue in Shansi and shows consider-
able disinclination to return to Thibet.
In his absence the internal govern-
ment of that country, being without
its nominal head, is in a slate of
chaos, although peace is reported.

The Board of Civil Administration
has issued regulations for the control
of the Chinese press. These are
largely impracticable in the present
condition of affairs, and H R. Chang

Chih-tung says that although these
may be promulgated, they cannot be
obeyed. The same Board has issued
a law of political meetings, ordering
the registration of all political so-
cieties, none of which are to be com-
posed of more than one hundred
members. No secret meetings of these
societies may be held.

The Imperial Commissioner ap-
pointed by the Rmixiror to in.spect
the prisons of China has been in
Japan studying the question of prison
reform. He is at present travelling
in China and will later present a
general report to the Throne.

An experiment is to be made this
year in connection with a govern-
ment stamp duty in China. It is
surmised that this is with a view to
new revenue to replace the loss of
the opium revenue. The Chinese
government is being asked what steps
it proposes to take in dealing with
the import of opium from Turkey and
Persia. A strongly-worded edict has
recently been issued bj' the Throne
urging stricter measures in dealing
with opium.

The text of the agreement concern-
ing the ShanghaiHangchow-Ningpo
Railway has now been published.
Work will be proceeded with rapidly.
The British Corporation makes the
loan under Imperial guarantee to the
Miuistrj' of Posts and Communication
(Yuchuanpu), and this Board be-
comes responsible for the economical
and efficient construction of the line.
This same Ministry is said to be ne-
gotiating with the Belgian Conipag-
nie de Chemins de Fer Chinois for
the redemption of the Peking-Han-
kow line. It is proposed to raise a
loan for this purpose, which shall be
repaid within five j'ears by purely
Chinese capital. The President of
the Szchuen Railway, now in Peking,
has asked the Chinese government to
engage Mr Li Ta-shu to survey the
route between Ichang and Wanhsien.
Trouble has been caused by the illegal
exactions of the likin officials along
the line of the Shanghai-Nanking
Railway, and H. R. Natung has been
sent to Nanking to confer with the
Viceroy in this and other pressing
topics.

236

The Chinese Recorder

[April, 1908

Missionary Journal.

BIRTHS.

AT Yungchun, Fukien, 3rd February,
to Dr. and Mrs. J. Prkston Max-
well, E. P. M., a daughter.

AT Yeungkong, Kwangtuug. 2otli
February, to Rev. and Mrs. G. W.
Marshall, A. P. M., a son (Robert
Nelson).

AT Shuiitehfu, Chihli, 26tli February,
to Mr. and Mrs. M. L. Griffith,
C. I. M., a daughter (Olive Frances).

At Fakumen, Manchuria, 26th Fe-
bruary, to Rev. and Mrs. F. \V. S.
O'Neill, I. P. M., a son.

At Shanghai, 3rd March, to Rev and
Mrs H. L. W. Bevan, L. M. S.,
a son.

At Laohokow, 15th March, to Rev.
and Mrs. A. W. LAGEKOni.sT, C. I.
M., a son vHadley Rutherford).

MARRIAGES.

At vShanghai, 3rd IVIarch, iNIr. G. A.
Anderson to Mi.ss J. Sargeant,
both of C. I. M.

At Nanking, nth March, Rev. C. F.
Snvder to Miss Phoebe Brenne-
MAN, both of C. and M. A.

AT Shanghai, 17th March. Dr J. W.
HEWETT to Miss D, CONYERS, l)Oth

of C. I. M.

At Runingfu, Honan, loth February,
Laurence Percival, aged 2 years
and 8 months, son of Rev. and Mrs.
T. Ekeland, Am. Luth. Mis.

At Hsinye, Honan, 20th February.
John Arthur, aged 2 years, son of
Rev. and Mrs. Th. Hinile, Hauges
Synodes Mis.

At Anioy, i6th March, ROBERT Mor-
rison DePree, aged ii months,
infant son of Rev. and Mrs. H. P.
DkPree, Am. Ref. Ch. Mis.

arrivals.

At Shanghai : —

6lh March, Rev. and Mrs.vS. Tannk-
VIST and family (ret.^ and Miss E.
SuNDKViST, all for Sw. Mis, Soc. ;
Miss Goi'DOK. C. M. S. (ret.); Mrs.
W. E Hoy, Re-f. Cii. in U. S. (ret.) ;

Rev. and Mrs. E. A. Hamilton and
family, C. M. S. (ret.) ; Rev. and Mrs.
MacvVhirter, I. P. M. ; Misses A.M.
Gregory, G. Eltham, O. C. Lucas,
J. Scott, B. Warren, M. Rutz, all
for C. I. M.

14th March, Messrs. C. Best (ret.)
and R. T. W. Gornitzka, for C.I.M.;
Mrs. W. A. CoRNABV (ret.), C. L. S. ;
Rev. B. R. MuDDiTT (ret.).

20th March, Rev. and Mrs. C. New-
ton Dubs (ret ) and Miss I. E. Poling,
U. Ev. Mis. ; Rev. and Mrs. H. H.
WiNSLOW and family. Seventh Day
Advent Mis ; Rev. and Mrs. B. F.
Lawrence ; Dr Ellen Fullerton,
A. P. E. C M.

departures.

From Shanghai : —

28th February, Dr. C. J. Daven-
port, L. M. 8., for England.

3rd March, Mr. and Mrs. T. G.
WiLLKTT, C. I. M., for Australia ; Mr.
T. F Carter, for U. S. A.

6th March, Mr and Mrs. D. J.
Mills and family, Mrs. E Tomkin-
son and two children. Rev. E. Pearse,
Rev. and Mrs W S. Horne, all of
C. I M., for England; Mrs. J. G.
Co K mack and child, L M S. ; Mrs.
G. F C. DoBSON and child, C. M. S ,
for England.

7th March, Miss M. Swann, C. M.
M., for U. S. A.

14th March, Mr C T. Fishe, C. I.
M., for England via Canada.

17th March, Mr. W. B. Sloan and
Miss M. C. Brown, C. I. M., for
England via Siberia ; Rev. and Mrs.
A. E Seward and Miss Hudson, all
C. M. S , for England; Miss E. H.
Johnston, for vScotland.

20th March, Dr. and Mrs. Sydney
H. Carr and two children, C I M.,
for England via Siberia.

2ist March, Miss A. M. Johannsen,
C. L M., for N. America.

24th March, Mr. and Mrs H. Lyons
and two children and Mr. E. O Ba.r-
BER, all C. I M., for Australia; Miss
M. A. Mackay, M.D , A. P. M., for
U. S. A.; .Mrs. Bryson and two daugh-
ters, L. M. S., and Dr. an I Mrs J. H.
McCartney, M. E. M., for England.

china's forkmost statesman : h. e. yuan shih-kai.

THE CHINESE RECORDER

AND MISSIONARY JOURNAL

Published Monthly by the American Presbyterian Mission Press,
18 Peking Road, Shanghai, China

Editorial Board.

Editor-in-chief : Rev. G. F. FiTCH, D.D.

Associate Editors: Rev. W. N. Bitton and Rev. D. W. Lyon.

Rev. E. W. Burt. Rev. J. C. Gibson, d.d. Mr. G. McIntosh.

Rt. Rev. Bishop Cassels. ,, W. T. Hobart, d.d. Rev. G. F, Mosher.

Rev. A. Foster. ,, D. E. Hoste. Prof. Lacey Sites.

„ J, C. Garritt, d.d. „ D. MacGiluvray. Rev. A. H. Smith, d.d.

VOL. XXXIX MAY, 1908 NO. 5

Editorial

Viewing at close range, as we do, the constant changes
which are taking place in China, it is not to be wondered at

that sometimes we become wearied by the
2)(0cerntnfl tbe Stflns ,, , .^. ,. ., i ^^

ot tbc trtmes ^^^^ suddenness and multiplicity of the

moving scenes which pass before us in
such kaleidoscopic confusion. We rub our eyes and wonder
what it all means. And with our wonderings it is natural that
we should ask. What new responsibilities do these changes
involve for us as missionaries, and what new duties do they
demand? Asa help to such thinking we are indebted, in this
issue, to the leadership of three senior missionaries, represent-
ing respectively the northern, central and southern sections of
the Empire. The symposium of their opinions (see page 245-
259) cannot fail to bring home, with triple emphasis, a sense
of the obligation which rests upon us to know, more fully than
has been our wont, the changes which are taking place, and
to seek more diligently than ever to understand their underlying
causes. This obligation arises not alone, surely, out of the
fact that we owe it to ourselves to be intelligent, but also, and
more especially, out of our duty towards the societies which
have sent us out and towards Him whose ambassadors we are.
A perusal of these articles leads us to realize afresh that to be
ignorant of the forces at play around us is but to beat the air ;
such eflfort cannot fail to result in the misapplication of energy,
and, consequently, in a greater or less degree of inefficiency.

238 The Chinese Recorder [May

But knowledge in this as in other realms brings with it
responsibility. In so far as we know and understand the con-
ditions which prevail about us, to that degree
jTOur-toio ^^ responsible for investing our knowledge

in intelligent action. This action, so far as we
missionaries are concerned, looks in four directions. First, to-
wards the Chinese church, whose virility and ultimate independ-
ence of missionary aid is our objective ; this implies a humility
on our part which will in honour prefer the Chinese Christians
to ourselves and a wisdom which will warn them of and prepare
them for the perplexities and perils ahead. Secondly, towards
our fellow-missionaries, in unity with whom, regardless of
creed or cult, we see our chief hope of leading the Chinese
people to believe in the infinite superiority of the religion we
profess and in the supreme sufficiency of our Divine Saviour
and Lord ; this involves moving steadily and unfalteringly
forward in the path of union which has been blazed so clearly
before us by the Centenary Conference and other important
missionary gatherings. Thirdly, towards the home churches,
in whose awakening to a keener sense of the greatness
and imperativeness of the enterprise of world-wide evangel-
ization lies at once their raison d'etre and their hope of
continued life ; this means that we missionaries must be more
faithful than ever in helping the churches in the West to see
the vision of opportunity and obligation which confronts them
in the East. And, fourthly, towards our God, who by all
these signs of whitening harvests is summoning us not alone
to the service of work, but also and more particularly to
the larger service of intercession ; this calls for a rigid setting of
ourselves apart at times from the distractions of change and
toil, in order that we may spend more time in unhurried
imitation of our Lord, whose nights of prayer were so large
a factor in His life's work.

* * *

In the relations which the missionary sustains to the new
conditions prevailing in China, there is special need at this time
^ _ , that he take care not to lose sight of the preemi-

^ , nently spiritual nature of the work which he has

come to perform. The material and the intel-
lectual readily appeal to the Chinese mind ; he is even ready to
approve the moral when presented from certain viewpoints, especi-
ally the utilitarian. But the spiritual, as viewed from the Christian

1908] Editorial 239

standpoint, is for the most part beyond his comprehension and
outside his field of vision or desire. Mining for gold or silver,
increased facilities for locomotion, postal and telegraphic con-
venience, newspapers and books and especially schools, they are
now eager to adopt and exploit as fast and as far as they know
how. There is a constant demand being made on the mission-
ary for help in securing many of these desired ends. And the
missionary is often led to give his assistance, hoping thereby to
remove prejudice and secure a better hearing for the claims of
the Gospel. But the special need which we would point out
and emphasize at this time, is that of never losing sight of,
or in any slight degree deviating from, the final, absolute
spiritual nature of his mission, ever remembering that the
Kingdom is not meat and drink, and recalling often the words
of Paul, "I determined to know nothing among you save
Jesus Christ and Him crucified."

* * *

The official representatives of eleven British Missionary
Societies, comprising all the leading British Societies having
work in China, have recently published as

flbtasionarg appeal. ^" ^PP^^^ ^° ^^^'' ^"^^^ionary constituency
a summary of the leading points in the
* Memorial to the Home Churches ' adopted by the Centenary
Conference. The joint issue of this appeal is a noteworthy
instance of the growth of united effort on the part of Mission
Boards in the home lands and this endorsement from home of
an exhortation to federation in work on the field is among the
most signal of the signs to be observed of a practical adoption of
the ideals of missionary workers in China by the Home Churches.
The appeal sets out in few but striking paragraphs the work
to be accomplished, ist. Greater efficiency. 2ud. Co-operation
of kindred forces. 3rd. An adaptation to changing environment.
4th. Greater breadth of missionary outlook and aim. It also
endorses the plea for federation, wherever possible, on the part
of small institutions and isolated theological seminaries and for
an end of overlapping in evangelistic and pastoral work. " We
must take no narrow view of the work to be done. It must not
be supposed that the sole result of missionary work is the mak-
ing and baptizing of converts. Our great hope is that China
may become a Christian nation." The publication of this
appeal may serve to recall to us on the field the ideals we have
set forth and to reuerve us in the struggle for their accomplish-

240 The Chinese Recorder [May

ment. It has been one of the glories of the missionary enterprise
that those engaged in it have led the advance toward Christian
Unity and that federation in practical work, as well as in senti-
ment, has come from, rather than to, the field. We shall con-
tinue to lead only at the cost of much hard work, consistent love
of the brethren and consequent self-sacrifice for the common
wealth of God's Kingdom.

We have in our hands the official report of the China

Missions Emergency Committee, which was represented at the

Conference by the Rev. Lord William Cecil, Sir

^beCbtna Alexander Simpson, Professor Alexander Mac-

7.^^!?<fH? Allister and Mr. Francis William Fox. We
Committee. . , , . . -,,.,,

notice that this report is prepared and signed by

three only of the four members of the Committee, Lord William
Cecil apparently having preferred to make his report separately.
So far as a brief visit, such as this deputation paid to China, can
give men hitherto unacquainted by personal experience with the
conditions of work on the field the power as well as the privilege
of expressing opinion, this report is judicious and fairly com-
prehensive. But we should like to see it made a rule that no
deputation which comes to enquire into mission work in China
shall be allowed to make an ex cathedra report to the Christian
public on the condition of affairs unless it has spent at least a
year in a personal, first-hand study of the problems involved.
Men, however gifted, who pay brief visits are bound to take the
impressions that are given to them by the missionaries with
whom they stay, with whom they have previous connections,
or with whose point of view they are, at the outset, en rapport.
It is doubtful whether any amount of good judgment ever
compensates in this matter for a lack of experience. We are
thinking just as much of deputations sent to represent Mission
Boards as of this China Missions Emergency Committee. In
our next month's issue we shall hope to deal with this valuable
report more in detail.

* » *

The fact that another and even more stringent Edict has
been issued from the Throne on the opium question gives point
to our opinion expressed last month that this

Cbtna^ar-Rorea. '^^''''" ^^'' ^^'"^ re-energized. We trust

that before long the condition of affairs

which is reported under the Shanghai Taotaiship, whe^-'-'rL no

I

1908] Editorial 241

one of the officials is an opium smoker, will be found true
generally over the Empire. We are in receipt of news from
Korea, however, of a depressing kind, namely, that opium
smoking has, in the last year, very seriously increased in
that kingdom. This is not only unfortunate for Korea, but
very derogatory of the reputation of Japan. We have heard the
suspicion expressed in more quarters than one of late that
Japan is falling away in her spheres of influence from her
unexceptionable attitude at home of uncompromising hostility
to the use of opium. It is definitely reported that the Japanese
Agricultural Department has been experimenting with a poppy
crop in the Osaka prefecture, and many are enquiring what this
thing may mean. We trust that one of the first evidences of
the good government of Korea under the Japanese protectorate
will be a rigid dealing with the opium problem in that kingdom
upon the lines carried through so successfully in Formosa.
We would again remind missionaries how greatly it is in their
power to promote this reform in China by keeping themselves
well informed of local conditions with a view to making these
public, should it be deemed necessary.

* * *

Our readers will have noticed the issue of an Edict aiming
at compulsory and free education in China, a copy of which

will be found in our Missionary News columns.

compulsory \Yhile it is obvious that the immediate application

inCbina Edict is impossible (since the Chinese

government has taken no satisfactory steps to
provide teachers for the schools it commands officials to open
everywhere), still it is interesting as evidence of the ideal
that China is setting before herself educationally, and if the pre-
sent Reform regime continues — the Christian church will have
to face a Chinese governmental system of free education. We
need not point out how momentous this matter is likely to
be, or what tremendous issues to the Christian church are in-
volved. It behoves all missionary societies and mission com-
mittees to awake to the fact that only by an effective demon-
stration of ability to help China realize these educational ideals
can Christian influence be assured to the coming educational
system of the Empire. We wish we could hear more of the
establishment of union normal schools and of specific training
of teachers for work in primary schools. It is perfectly certain
that individual attempts on the part of missions to solve this

242

The Chinese Recorder [May

whole problem are of little avail. It is at our peril that we fail
to unite in tackling the situation that this recent Edict has
outlined clearly. God's opportunities do not wait upon the
convenience of man, but are sent as a test of our faith's sincerity
and our work's value. We pray God that the day may not
come when it shall be said of the Christian church in China, in
review of the educational opportunities that were laid before it,
that it was weighed in the balances and found wanting.

We cannot allow the occasion of Sir Robert Hart's

departure for England to pass without expressing what we

believe all missionaries in China feel in
Str IRobert Tbart's ^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^

H>eparture. ^ r^^.- ^ • • i,- i •

loss China sustams in his removal is not

confined to the appreciation of his work we have in common

with all who realize the wonderful nature of the organization

he has built up in this Empire. We regret the loss to China of

those sterling moral qualities which we are wont to associate

with Christian training and ideals, and which have been so

consistently exemplified in Sir Robert's career. This is not the

place in which to enlarge upon the growth of the Customs

service during his period of comptrollership, nor to recount

the many incidents in Sir Robert Hart's life which have shown

him to the world in the light of diplomatic statesmanship.

We are grateful to the administration which since 1863 has

gradually transformed one side of life in China ; lighting her

coasts and rivers and instituting her postal service ; more

grateful than many in China can be, because we feel the

benefit of these things more acutely. But we are chiefly

grateful to Sir Robert Hart for the unimpeachable honesty

which has stopped the mouth of slander even in so naturally

suspicious a quarter as Chinese officialdom ; for the example of

devotion to duty which has raised the regard of the Chinese for

foreign administration in an immeasurable degree ; for the

consistent desire for the highest good of this people, and for

the practical sympathy with every work for the advancement of

the nation's well being and the alleviation of her suffering which

he has never failed to show. We trust that Sir Robert will

have given to him in the Providence of God many years of

useful leisure. His work cannot be forgotten while China

remains a nation with a regard for history, and we believe that

1908] Editorial 243

the moral character which gave to that work peculiar signifi-
cance and force will long be held in grateful remembrance.

* * *

It must have been noted by many of our readers that
the districts which seem to be making the greatest noise in
^ ^ ^ connection with the cry of China for the Chinese

©bcOlence ^^^ those in which lawlessness is often most evi-
dent. Moreover, we think it will be found that
these same regions, when judged by their readiness to obey the
Opium Decree, show that their idea of patriotism is not that
of obedience to the law of their country. The Peking govern-
ment might just now do worse than take as a rough and ready
method of reckoning the value of patriotism, the willingness
and ability of the provinces professing it, to carry out the
opium reform.

* * *

Our readers will be getting this number of the Recorder

when summer is making her appearance and when a certain

_ proportion of our friends are anticipating their

BTmor&toour f ^ i u ^ n i, u •

home furloughs. To all such we would give a

word of advice. Please notify our business

department of yo7ir itinerary or change of address. Very

frequently we receive complaining letters from friends who

miss the Recorder, intimating that the magazine is still going

home, and don't we remember their passing through Shanghai ?

We happily remember the pleasant impression of the arrival of

these friends, the healthy glow of their faces, the fashionable

cut of their clothes, the dainty appearance of a new tie, in

contrast to the evidences of strenuous interior life and work

before the homegoing. We were even impressed by the

sonorous utterances indicative of the earnest deputation work at

home. But in these days of specialization the addressing of

magazines is relegated to a more mechanical agency than

formerly, and it is always well, when going or coming, to send

a written note giving change of address and future movements.

" Etnerson says that consistency is the virtue of small minds. We should
do what we believe to be rigfht before God to-day, whether or not it is what
we did yesterday. The man who cannot change his mind when conditions
have changed is not fit to be an administrator of a great enterprise. He is
worse than a weak man, for the latter is amenable to advice, while the former
is as inaccessible to reason as a mule." Dr. Arthur J. Brown in " The Foreign
Missionary."

244

The Chinese Recorder

[May

Zbc Sanctuary.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.— James v. i6.
For where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in
the midst of them.— Matthew xviii. 20.

A Morning PRAVJiR

Now that the daylight fills the sky,
We lift our hearts to God on high,
That He, in all we do or say,
Would keep us free from harm to-day :

Would guard our hearts and tongues

from strife :
From anger's din would hide our life :
From all ill sights would turn our e\es :
Would close our ears from vanities :

Would keep our inmost conscience

pure :
Our souls from folly would secure :
Would bid us check the pride of sense :
With due and holy abstinence.

So we, when this new day is gone,
And night in turn is drawing on.
With conscience by the world unstained
Shall praise His Name for victory

gained.

All laud to God the Father be.
All praise. Eternal Son, to Thee ;
All praise for ever, as is meet,
To God the Holy Paraclete. — Amen.

Pray for

China: That in the "cycle of

change " (see page 245) she may be

guided by the religion of Jesus

(page 249), and may be morally as

well as intellectually and govern-
mentally reformed (page 254).
That the effort to remove the

opium curse entirely may speedily

be successful.
The Missionary Body : That in their

new relations with officials and

gentry (page 252) they may have an

attitude of true sympathy (page

255)-

The Missionaries : That they may
truly grasp the meaningof the great
movements now taking place in
China and throughout the world
(page 258), and may wisely train
leaders for the New China (page
246).

The Fan-Anglican Congress in Lon-
don: That it may give great sti-
mulus to the cause of Missions.

Prayer for the Emperor of China.

Almighty God, by whose divine
sanction the kings of the eartn hold
sway, look graciously upon the Em-
peror of China and all who bear rule

under him ; do Thou so guide and
illuminate their hearts and minds
that they may be led to acknowledge
Thee the true God and Jesus Christ
Whom Thou hast sent, and may they
so rule that peace and order may
prevail amongst the people commit-
ted to their charge , through Jesus
Christ, our L,ord. — Amen.

Give thanks for

The great spirit of unity manifested
in the recent Conference in West
China.

The action of the Shanghai Muni-
cipality looking towards the closing
of all opium dens in that settlement.

The Life and Example of our Bless-
ed Lord : —

The Teaching : a teacher come from

God.— John iii. 3.
The Parables : declaring hard sent-
ences.— Ps. Ixxviii. 2.
The Miracles : manifesting forth His

Glory. — ^John ii. 11.
His Sympathy : made like His breth-
ren— Heb. ii. 17.
In weakness : touched with the feeling

of our infirmities.
In temptation : tempted in all points

like as we are. — Heb. iv. 15.
With ignorance : who can have com-
passion on the ignorant.
With error : and on them that are out

of the way — Heb. v. 2.
With sinners : making reconciliation

for the sins of the people.— Heb.

ii. 17.
With joys : rejoicing with them that do

rejoice — John ii. 1-12.
With sorrows : weeping with them

that weep. — Rom. xii, 15 ; and John

xi. 35-
His unceasing mercies : He went aboat

doing good. — Acts xi. 38.
His perfection : made perfect through

sufferings. — Heb ii. 10.
His example : that we might follow

His steps. — I. Peter ii. 21.
The virtue of His coming : that we

might have life more abundantly.

John X. 10.
His promise of reward : where I am,

there shall my servant be. — ^John

xii. 26.

Salvation to our God which sitteth
upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb.
Alleluia.

Our Duties as Missionaries in View of the Recent
Developments and Changes in China

I. — 1{Y RRV. A. H. SMITH, D. D.

BY way of preliminary it should be said that every mission-
ary should endeavor to keep in touch with current
ci'ctiis both in the West and in China, especially the
latter. With this view he should regularly read at least one
good foreign (daily or weekly) journal published in this Empire.
We should have sonic knowledge of current Western thinking
on religious, educational, scientific and general literary lines.
Book reviews in different home papers are valuable index.
We should try to gain J6>w^ acquaintance with Chinese periodical
and other current literature. [Dr. Garritt's recent articles on
this subject, and Mr. Huntington's summary of some of Liang's
influential writings, should be consulted on this head.] The
Chinese language is undergoing a most important modification,
and failing a published text-book every one should make his
own vocabulary of new and useful terms.

The Spirit of One's Work. — There is often a danger of
paying too much attention to current conditions. To under-
stand them fully is beyond the wit of man and is moreover
unnecessary. We deal in general principles, and these are
fixed while circumstances alter. Two things are certain ;
China has entered upon a cycle of change which no man
and no combination of men can stop. The changes thus
involved are wide and deep, covering the whole scope of in-
dividual, social, and national life. They will require extended
periods of time in which to develop, and at the soonest it will
be a generation or two before they can be wrought out. This
accords with the principles of psychology and the teachings of
history and of revelation. All our work and all our teaching
should recognize this fundamental truth.

The Spirit of Our Work. — Like other men a missionary has
limitations which he should recognize and respect. Enlarging
experience should teach him what he can do best and most
effectively. But he should never suppose that what he happens
to have done, is the measure of what he can do, either in range
or in effectiveness. Some men need to be restrained from
unbalanced activity, while others need a spur. A certain tract

246 The Chinese Recorder [May

was written headed, "She hath done what she could," but
it was followed by another, entitled, "She hath done what
she thought she couldn't do." We must neither forget nor
ignore the fact that all missionaries, more especially those in
the Far East, are in an important sense mediators between the
East and the West. We are here — or we ought to be — not
mainly on behalf of a "church," but of the far wider interest
of the kingdom of God. For this reason under appropriate
conditions it is not merely legitimate but imperative in the
felicitous and comprehensive phrase of the late Miss Frances
Willard to " do everything, ' ' not indeed always, or all at once, but
by aiding in, and sympathizing with, and praying for, "every good
word and work." At a time when the evangelistic, the educa-
tional, and the philanthropic work of missions are more adequately
(or perhaps we should say less inadequately) prosecuted than
before, there are often incidental opportunities to influence
individual Chinese and Chinese public opinion in favor of
Christianity by showing the intelligence, the earnestness, the
catholic sympathies of those who represent the Christian
church. An hour, a day, or months spent in weaving about
men of light and leading in China, a web of influences which
may dispose them to lend their aid, or it may be to modify or
withdraw their opposition, may result even outwardly in much
greater benefit to the church and to China than any street chapel
preaching, however excellent. Both kinds of effort are useful
and neither to be neglected.

There are in the New China increasing opportunities to
influence the student class. The prompt seizing of the great
opening at Tokio was a Christian example of what Paul called
"buying up for yourself the opportunity." Work such as that
in the Chi-nan-fu Institute, like that of Dr. Hart in the
Museum of St. John's College, Tientsin, or that of Dr. Wilson in
Hsii-t'ing, Ssuch'uan, — all these are handfuls of leaven cast
into Chinese meal, the results of which no man is wise enough
to predict or to foresee. Our greatest work is to train up
Chinese leaders^ tnen and women^ who shall supersede and
supplant us. Can we not also train men to feel an obligation
to help in supplying China's needed literature?

The attention of the world has long been centered on
China, and this is morally certain to continue. It is now
much easier to get a hearing at home than formerly. Might
we not wisely take a six weeks' course in some "school of

1908] Our Duties in View of Recent Developments 247

advertising " to find out how to catch, fix, and hold the reader's
attention ? Study of missions was never so prevalent. The
Laymen's Movement is big with promise. We must strike
while the iron is hot. The camera opens many eyes and hearts
to the condition and the needs of China. Let those who can,
use it wisely, widely, and well. We need the vision of God to
hold our educated Christians for work for China. They too
must see it and profoundly feel China's call and the call of
God. Toward all movements for the inner unity of Christians
in China we should ever be wide-eyed and open-hearted. This
spirit we believe increasingly characterizes the missionary body
throughout China, as was conspicuously shown at the Centennial
Conference, and more recently in the West China Conference at
Ch'eng-tu. Phenomena like these are at once a prophecy and
a promise of a new day for the Christian church in the Celestial
Empire.

II. — BY REV. THOMAS W. PEARCE.

A New Creed and Practice.

OUR Divine Lord, in the days of His flesh, denounced as
hypocrites certain persons of discernment who failed to
'discern.' In their own limited sphere these were
men of light and leading ; their blame was that they could not
read . . . the signs ... of the times. An open vision to
" take occasion by the hand"" would have made the privilege
theirs of pointing to the kingdom of heaven at hand, open to all
believers, to the light of the world whose coming enlighteneth
every man, to God tabernacling with men in the person of
Immanuel. The discernment of the Pharisees, failing at the
one point, was of little worth in relation to those highest
possibilities, which might have been theirs in the new dispen-
sation of grace.

In Mencius v. 2, 5, we find that philosopher saying :
"Confucius among the sages was the time (discerner) JL "? 1^
^ 5^ ^ -flL' ^he sage of sages marked occasions as they arose,
and in using opportunity with all sagely wisdom, showed what
manner of man he was ; the distinctive strength of his teaching
was in its timeliness.'" By meeting as no other teacher has done
the needs of his own age his influence has been transcendently
incomparable in China through all succeeding generations.

248 The Chinese Recorder [May

The heirs of the ages may well deem golden the lessons of
history, whether sacred or profane, that qniclcen discernment in
the ' ' signs of the times. ' ' For us as missionaries in China signs-
of-the-time-discernment is of the first moment if our sense of
duty is to be clear, strong, and comprehensive, and the means
for its discharge suitable, adequate, and ready to our hand.

Our duties as spiritual leaders, the representatives of West-
ern Christianity in this part of the Far East, who are in touch
with great world movements and changes, fraught with signific-
ance in relation to the diffusion of divine light and knowledge
in a vast pagan empire, point us in the first instance : To the
friends of missions throughout Christendom. There is needed
on our part a more united, intelligent, and persistent attempt to
brine the China of to-dav before the missionarv church through-
out all the world. We need a creed embracing the following
articles, each capable of large expansion ; and there should be
an organized, continuous, tliorough endeavour to make this
creed of ours a creed of Christendom.

We believe that great world movements, military or social,
commercial or industrial, educational or political, have ushered
in times of new departure in the religious life of nations.

We believe that in the providence of God such movements
have wrought for the breaking up of ancient systems of faith
and worship, that in their wake the religious sanctions of
many generations have disappeared, and over the lands of the
earth there has been a " way of the Lord " prepared.

We believe that for him who has the seeing eye, there is
clear vision showed of things that must shortly come to pass in
the Empire of China.

We believe that the missionary church of to-day in Western
lands has but dimly discerned the signs of the times in this Far
Eastern Empire with the result that the church is moving by
slow and feeble steps to those heights of duty, responsibility, and
privilege which lie before her in the new world of opportunity
and occasion.

God is calling to the church to put on its strength. He is
seeking to give to the church a vision. Response to the call,
obedience to the vision, may determine the destiny of a great
pagan people in relation to the highest things. Friends of
China are face to face with the question. What is to be the
religion of the new nation 'i This is a starting point on the
line of our missionary duty. We are to watch the trend of

1908] Our Duties in View of Recent Developments 249

informed opinion in the most reputable np-to-date native
literature and what we there learn concerning the spirit of the
age should be made widely and fully known.

In the sphere of religious reconstruction as everywhere, in
modern China, that spirit is thoroughly eclectic. It would
borrow from Christianity a rest day in each week, public
worship with hymn and prayer, ritual and ceremonial, the
modes and ordinances of the West, with Confucius in the place
of Christ. Again it demands a pure Buddhism freed from accre-
tions and corruptions, a Buddhism akin to the faith that in
the early centuries of Christianity drew thousands of Chinese
pilgrims to the sacred spots associated with Gaudama in India.
At other times it purposes to take from the leading faiths
of the world the best that each has to offer, and from these
elements to build up a religion suited to the genius of the
Chinese race.

This is the aspect of the situation with which the church
is concerned. If Christianity is not brought in to meet the
religious needs of an awakened nation necessity will be laid
upon that nation to look elsewhere for the satisfaction denied to
her by those who hold the religion of Christ in trust for the
people of the earth. Our first duty as missionaries is to quicken
within the church a movement commensurate with the new
departure in paganism which calls for so large an extension of
the church's activity.

The evangelization of the world in the present century may,
in the providence of God, depend much on the order of our goinw
forth to preach the Gospel in the world. Present conditions
constitute a special call to move on the line of least resistance.
During the next decade Christianity may well attain in China
a grand vantage ground from which to carry forward its triumphs
into an ever widening field.

We are not less concerned that our duties as apostles and
ministers of the word should be viewed by ourselves with a
wise insight and comprehensive foresight worthy of the new
time with its favouring conditions. Plans and institutions for
making the Gospel known should be on the most extended scale
possible. The forces of federation now working in all our
missions should have freest scope in the inauguration and
improvement alike of methods and of institutions.

Union schools and colleges are early products of these
beneficent forces. The applicatiou in every other direction of the

250 The Chinese Recorder [May

principle of union is the true solution of many mission problems.
When federation in all practical ways is the rule, service in the
Gospel will be more effective at every point, appeals for aid from
home will be more cogent and forceful, and the response more
timely and more proportioned to the need. United enterprize
in the use of funds will stimulate united endeavour in raising
funds, union in our missions holds in it the guarantee of union
among friends of missions in all the home churches. To keep
this great mission field ever before the churches of the West
as a laud of promise, to be united in sagacious counsels
for its entire possession as a spiritual heritage of our Lord
Jesus Christ, are guiding principles of missionary duty in
the new era.

That the varied activities of our united enterprize must be
adapted to the changed and changing conditions is becoming
manifest at all our chief mission centres. As examples we may
cite native self-supporting, self-propagating churches the real
"power-centres" of a Christianity not foreign and formal but
native and natural. These can now create their own atmos-
phere which diffusing itself through every sphere of effort,
whether medical, evangelistic, educational or literary should
minister to the free, strong, progressive life of all enterprize.

Inspiration, counsel, and helpful resources of every kiud
lie in the native church of the future. In it may be devel-
oped an ever-increasing power to transmute what is brought
in from the schools, hospitals, and preaching halls as con-
joined or affiliated institutions. A duty devolving upon us
as missionaries of the new time is to be ceaselessly alert
in watchfulness, prayer, and effort on behalf of the native
church.

What Mr. Spurgeon once said of the Metropolitan Taber-
nacle, London, is becoming every year truer of the native church
in this mission field. It is in the church as in a great railway
centre where lamps are lighted that are soon to be distributed
to many places near and far by railway lines that diverge from
the one point. That these lamps be trimmed and burning to
shed a bright light in dark places should be an object of our
constant solicitude.

Next in the range of possibility as a missionary adjunct
and power centre are the schools of the new era. Intelligent
discussion concerning "education in China" is now based on
the simple fact and verity that the phrase has acquired for the

1908] Our Duties in View of Recent Developments 251

Chinese race during the last two decades meanings which all
preceding ages had failed to impart.

The nation has been brought to take with singular com-
pleteness Western views on the entire subject. It is not too
much to say that this country is determined to have the best
which the West can give in schools of every type. If my
experience coincides with that of others and the inference based
on my own limited outlook be fair and just, then the position
open to the missionary in the education of the new time is great
beyond precedent and admits of no parallel.

An army of missionary teachers coming to China with
adequate training and up-to-date equipment could take readily
strategic points from which to move forward in a victorious
educational campaign. Inadequate as missionary strength is in
this as in every department of activity it is yet finding its true
place at the heart of things where it must needs abide. A
guarantee that the education of the new time will find its points
of contact with morality and religion through the Christian
Scriptures would be a warrant for much that pertains to a new
heaven and earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Our duty is plain and must be done by federating our
forces, adapting our methods, and showing that we above all
others are prepared to meet the demands of an awakened China.

In the same spirit we may consider comprehensively other
aspects of our missionary enterprize.

Each part of our service relates itself to the movements
and changes that are now affecting the national life of China's
millions. Each is capable of being rendered in a high degree
effective as a factor in reconstruction and each part is designed
of God to serve His purpose in the educational, moral, and
spiritual progress of the Orient.

All sorts and conditions of men in China are open to timely
missionary effort direct and indirect if only it be inspired by a
spirit of wisdom and understanding in the signs of the times.
That in former days when the door set before us was not fully
opened, it was found possible to place a New Testament in the
hands of the Empress-Dowager as the gift of the Protestant
Chinese church to Imperial Majesty, should suffice to assure us
that the palace of the monarch is not inaccessible to the
apostolic zeal and fervour of later days.

If the varied and valued works of the Christian Literature
Society, together with a mass of other missionary literature on

252 The Chinese Recorder [May

topics of pennanent importance to an awakened age, were read
ten years ago with understanding and appreciation by native
Chinese of light and leading througliout the empire, including
high provincial authorities, there may surely be found a larger
hope that in the improved and improving conditions of the new
time such literature will work for rapid and complete enlighten-
ment and reform.

So also in respect of the personal relations of missionaries
with Chinese of all ranks. To declare as unprejudiced
authorities have done that the only foreigners in close daily
touch with the Chinese are missionaries is still a fact that may
be written of foreigners as a class.

"Close daily touch" now describes the relations of mis-
sionaries not only with the toiling myriads, but also with a small
yet ever enlarging circle of officials and scholars. There are
missionaries who have come to be regarded as trusted counsellors
to some who guide the destinies of China. Such preachers and
teachers have given an example to their brethren in all the
missions. Christianity is working upward from the lower to
the higher. Each step in the upward path means a wider
horizon, a finer vantage ground, a fairer outlook from which the
"signs of the time" may be more clearly discerned. Duties,
responsibilities, and privileges are enhanced as discernment is
quickened. We who believe that world movements are iu
reality the movements of God in history may step fearlessly
onward gathering strength and courage as we march. Through
our willingness to undertake by the might of faith great things
for God much will be possible of accomplishment. And for
the accomplishment of our great missionary purpose in China
the time is ripe : God's " set time " to favour her has come.

III. — BY THE RIGHT REV. F. R. GRAVES, D.D.

Understanding and Readjustment.

THERE are advantages in being one of the new mis-
sionaries in China. They come at a time of unrest and
change, but they will grow up in a new .set of condi-
tions and a better state of society, and breathing an altogether
more stimulating atmosphere than the missionaries of the past.
The year 1900 is a date very near to us, and yet it marks
sharply the transition point from the China of the past to the

1908] Recent Developments and Changes in China 25)

China of to-day. Considerable changes had taken place before
at certain points in China, opinion had been slowly forming,
Western methods of edncation, the Chinese daily press,
translated books, the work and influence of Christian mis-
sionaries, had been slowly preparin^j the minds of the people,
but there was no national awakening, no spirit of progress,
save here and there in individuals. Then came the
demonstration to all the world of the weakness of China, the
pressure of foreign nations became insistent, the moribund
condition of China and the possible division of her territory
were seriously considered, and then, sharp and sudden as a
thunderstorm, came the Boxer rising and the turmoil of the
armed occupation by the Powers. If there were any who
foresaw that the China of to-day would arise out of that welter
of disaster and confusion, they were few and far-sighted.
Mostly the prophecies ran the other way. Yet after seven
years we call the time before 1900 "the past," and we are
living in a China not wholly reformed as yet, but differing in
its whole spirit and prospects from the China before the year of
martyrdoms.

It would be superfluous, in writing for readers who have
themselves seen these changes come to pass, to go into details
and attempt to set down all the causes and count up all the
results. Speaking generally, the changes divide themselves
into political, educational, and moral movements, and they
amount altogether to an altered attitude of the Empire and its
people to the world without and to things within.

What tremendous changes have been wrought by the
Russo-Japanese war with its complete upsetting of the balance
of power in the Far East and the great influence of Japan on
this country at every point ! Shaken, perforce, out of the old
sleepy quiescence, China has awakened to the sense that she
lives in the modern world, and her people, aroused to a
realization of the weakness of their government, have begun to
demand reform and to ask for a Constitution. Rightly
concluding that if they are to play their part in the modern
world, they must fit themselves for it by knowledge of
its conditions, the Chinese have turned to education on
Western lines with an eagerness and earnestness which is
wonderful. Mistakes they have made and will make in plenty,
but they have set their feet in a new road, and no one doubts
that they will work through the period of weakness and

254 The Chinese Recorder [May

incapacity and succeed eventually in remodelling their national
education on the new lines. Meanwhile there is a mass of new
ideas seething in the minds of the younger generation, — the
new knowledge, short as the period is since it began to come in,
has created new hopes and aims and given them a wider
outlook. And out of this new learning must come greater
changes yet, changes which will, without doubt, seriously
modify, or even revolutionise, the whole of Chinese government
and Chinese society.

But the real hope of the nation lies, we all believe, in a
moral reformation far more than in better education and
reforms in the government. Inevitably, new and higher moral
and religious ideas will become necessary to this people ; parts
of the old Confucianism will be discarded and other parts will
need to be supplemented very largely from the sources of moral
and religious ideas which lie at the base of Western education,
law, and civilisation. The Renaissance of China will be
followed by its Reformation. Even now we see the promise of
these things. The wider outlook, the new national spirit, the
desire to do away with corruption in official life, the
determination to root out the opium habit which has so long
sapped the life of the nation, — these are all signs that the
outward changes in China are accompanied by the beginnings
of moral changes, and they give us good ground for hope that
the nation will gradually be lifted to a higher moral level.

All this is far, as yet, from Christianity, it is true, but we
may well remember that these ideas have had their origin in
Christian influence and are in some cases the direct product of
missionary work. They are at all events the indication of life,
life in the mind and soul of the people, and it is life to which
Christianity ministers and in which it will infallibly find its
ground of influence and action.

So it is that the missionary of to-day stands at a different
point and has need of a different policy from the missionaries
who came before 1900. We were trained in the ancient
classics, and China is turning away from them. We laboriously
studied the models of Chinese style, and the new learning is
introducing a new literary style and in some points altering the
very language. We accustomed ourselves to Chinese manners
and even to Chinese costume, and young China too often
forgets the one and discards the other. One would not unlearn
if one could that which has taught us to value the past, but it is

1908] Recent Developments and Changes in China 255

a future that opens before us, new and untried as the seas
which were furrowed by the keels of Columbus, a future with
glorious prospects but also with its threatenings of storm, and
we have to adjust ourselves to the new conditions, to
sympathise with the new spirit, to occupy new points of view.
All this means that we must have many of our old ideas upset
and go through a difficult period of reconstruction. Our task
is harder than that of the new missionary. He comes at the
beginning, he will grow up with the new order and he can put
his new experience into practise without the troublesome process
of making terms with the old. How very much the attitude of
younger men is likely to diflfer from that of their seniors I may
perhaps be allowed to illustrate by the case of a young and
enthusiastic man in Japan with whom I remember talking at
the time of the great changes there a few years ago. All was
new, all was changing, all was Japanese ; and he closed the
conversation by saying : "We must let the Japanese do what
they will with us ; they will put us under their arm like a foot-
ball and run with us to the goal !" It seemed to me that in
the exuberance of his simile he had failed to take into account
the kick at the end. No doubt the younger men will make
their mistakes as we made ours, but it is finer work going with
the host across Jordan than traveling in a dry and rocky
wilderness, — and yet, that too had to be, in order to harden and
train the people for conquest. So, for better or for worse, we
are come to a new time and new ways and a new spirit in
China, and in view of all this we have as missionaries a
manifest duty. We cannot, perhaps, state it better than by
saying that it is the duty of understanding and of readjustment.
We need sympathy, of course, if we are to attain to any good
result from our inquiries, sympathy with the people of China
and their new aims and aspirations ; but sympathy is not so
much a separate line of effort as a quality which is indispensable
to any understanding which is comprehensive and satisfactory.
It is our duty, then, to understand the conditions in the midst of
which we are placed, and this calls for serious study and
thought.

There is, in the first place, very great need that we should
understand so far as we are able the changes that are taking
place and the causes that produce them. This is not an easy
task. Neither the Chinese government nor the Chinese people
understands as yet all that is implied in the new attitude.

256 The Chinese Recorder [May

They are occupied with tlie thought of certain definite reforms,
and it is not clear to them how far these will carry them. In
talking with intelligent Chinese and in reading the newspapers
it soon becomes evident how partial and limited their view is,
and yet what is going on is no less than the renovation of this
ancient empire. Now we have to rely almost entirely upon the
Chinese for information as to the trend of things and as to what
actually happens from time to time in the process of reconstruc-
tion. Our information, then, will often be fragmentary and
imperfect, yet we must do our best to piece it together into a
coherent account of what is going on in order to get a right
estimate of what is likely to happen.

But the progress of events in China is only a part of the
changed condition of things of which we have to take account.
There are other factors which enter into our problem, and
which we cannot disregard without failing more or less of a
solution. The changes in China are the reflex of greater
changes in the Far East and in the world at large. It is need-
less to recount the state of affairs at the present time, the in-
creasing influence of Germany, the great part which the Anglo-
Japanese alliance is playing in securing the peace of Asia ; but
I may be pardoned for bringing forward some other considera-
tions which bear largely upon the destiny of China and so, in-
directly, on our work as missionaries.

Russia has fallen back before Japan, but it is to reconsoli-
date her power by internal reform, and the day is likely to come
when Russia, reformed and strengthened, will press down again
from the north. The very mass of that empire makes this
probable, and when constitutional government has once acquir-
ed stability Russia will have a great word to say in the settle-
ment of ajBfairs in Asia.

Since 1898 the United States has become a Power in the
Pacific and will exercise an ever-increasing influence upon the
shaping of events on this continent, events which will be largely
determined by sea-power in the Pacific. An English writer
points out that the first turn of the screws of the warships in the
waters of the Pacific marked a new moment in the history of
America and of the world ; it was the definite taking up of the
task of the United States in its relations with the peoples of Asia.

But the paramount influence of Japan in war, in diplomacy,
and in education is the most noticeable fact to-day, and we should
spare no pains to acquaint ourselves with the extent of that

1908] Recent Developments and Changes in China 257

influence and the means by which it is exercised. Russia and
America will play a great part in the future, Japan is playing
hers now.

There is a fourth subject which demands our attention — the
gradual rise of a Pan-Asiatic movement, stimulated, and per-
haps to be dominated for a time, by Japan. In a late number
of the Fortnightly Review there appeared an article entitled
"Asia contra Mundum" which will well repay reading. The
writer notes the signs of such a movement at the present time
and the causes which are arousing a sense of continental unity
and common interests amongst the peoples of India, China, and
Japan, and outlines very clearly how this movement is being
forced on by the discrimination against the peoples of Asia
which is everywhere taking place in the parts of the world
which are inhabited by the white races. I suppose that we are
all cognisant more or less of the rise of such a feeling and of
indications of this almost unconscious movement, but it is
helpful to have the subject discussed on a larger scale and apart
from merely local issues. In one form or another it is sure to
meet us more and more at every step of our work in China and
we need to thoroughly understand it.

Turning from matters of national reform and world
politics as they affect China let us consider also the questions
that were raised for us by the meeting of the Centenary Con-
ference last year. To a narrow view the Conference was a
meeting of missionaries to discuss certain aspects of their work,
to estimate that work and provide for its co-ordination. But no
thoughtful missionary will have failed to see that the Conference
opened a wider field. Great questions were raised and great
patience and charity were displayed in discussing them. The
vision of unity arose before our eyes and the movement of hearts
ran, as it always must, ahead of the intellectual working out of
a basis on which this unity, so ardently desired, is possible. The
interpretation of that vision is the work of the future and will
need all our thought and prayers. It would not be unfair to say
that there were two conceptions which were underlying the
debates and action of the Conference : the one that of a federation
of Protestant missions, the other of a unity which might in time
include Protestant and Catholic alike. The very composition
of the Conference indicates why these two views were held in it.
In the words of Lord William Cecil "there were Presbyterians
and Episcopalians, Calvinists and Arminians, Ritualists and

258 The Chinese Recorder [May

Baptists" present there. Small wonder that the Conference
hesitated to close entirely with the wider view. But to us after
the Conference it is going to matter a great deal, which view we
follow out and embrace as our own, for the end of the one view
is near and comparatively easy of attainment, it is the formation
of a sort of glorified federation of Protestant churches ; the way
to the other end is long and painful, calling for patience and love
and sacrifice, but is the way to real unity which would include
Protestant and Catholic alike. The first path is the path of
negations and compromises, the second path is the way of com-
prehension and charity.

Such are some of the subjects which it behoves the mis-
sionary of to-day to study and ponder if he is to shape his course
ario"ht in the days to come. But one can conceive that many a
hard-worked missionary, with scant time for reading and study,
might say that the only thing that is really necessary to consider
is the work in hand, the devising of plans for the immediate
task before him, and the endeavor to carry them out as thorough-
ly and faithfully as he can. It is natural that many should
feel in this way, but I would ask consideration for the view that
our task is larger than this, and that, as our work is inevitably
affected for good or ill by the great movements which are going
on in China and in the world, we need to take them into ac-
count and to try to grasp their meaning and estimate their
bearing upon our particular task. In war we know how the
bravest soldiers using tactics, that is, operations and dispositions
in the immediate presence of the enemy, which conform to the
best rules of war, have often failed to secure victory because all
that they and their leaders have done, has been neutralised by
a false plan of campaign. On the other hand, sound strategy,
a well-considered plan of war, has often triumphed potentially
before a man has been moved or a gun fired. What I would
plead for is the truest and widest strategy in our missionary
campaign, a strategy that shall take account, so far as is possi-
ble, of all the factors near or remote that bear on our problem —
the conversion of China to Christ. Unity amongst ourselves,
and the great movements in history in the midst of which we
are living, are but parts of that greater movement by which in
the way of his wisdom God is reconciling the world unto
Himself

We may well apply to missionary work some wise words of
a great writer as to questions of world politics :

19081 The Problem of Modernism in our Mission Work 259

"In order to efficiency of action, whether in personal or
corporate life, we have to recognize the coincident necessities of
taking long views and of confining ourselves to short ones. The
two ideas, although in contradiction logically, are in practice
and in effect complementary, as are the centripetal and centrifugal
forces of the universe ; unless both are present, something is
wanting to the due balance of judgment and of decision." *

The Problem of Modernism in our Mission Work

BY REV. WM. DEANS

IT will be admitted by all missionaries in China that mission
work there is not the same to-day as it was twenty years
ago. It was hard then, it is harder now. There were
many problems to be met with in those days and to be solved
as best they might be ; the problems have increased in the
present and are harder to solve.

In the early years of Protestant missions in China and up
to twenty years ago the problems of our mission work might
be called "the problems of Ancientism," if I may be allowed
to use the term.

China was in the bonds of conservatism. Governmental
and educational methods were devoid of all advance ; they were
entirely along the lines of the ancients. Any change of
method was looked askance at and was not desired. We
missionaries know how slow work was then. We were despis-
ed ; our preaching, teaching and book-distribution derided. If
the Gospel we preached was accepted at all, it was only by a
few, and these few drawn mostly from the poorer and less
educated class. Pride, prejudice and hate kept the majority
of the people aloof from us, kept them from lending a ready
ear to the preaching of the Gospel, kept them from sending
their children to our mission schools. The church grew as it
has always grown and will continue to grow, but the growth
was very slow, and, as I have stated, few of the educated or
upper class were impressed. Here in Ichang it was so, and
after twenty years of work, though the church membership had
grown to hundreds, not one well-to-do Chinaman had joined
the band.

♦Captain A. T. Mahan, " The Problem of Asia."

260 The Chinese Recorder [May

Now Ancientism has practically gone and an era of
Modernism has set in. Educational and governmental methods
have changed and are still changing. The country has been
opened up by railways and by an almost universal telegraphic
system. Factories, mints, arsenals have been built in the
large provincial centres. Coal and other mines have been and are
being exploited in many provinces. Newspapers are printed
in many large towns and circulate far and wide. Books of all
kinds, on all subjects, are translated and are much read. The
tendency is to have intercourse with the foreigner. The in-
fluence of the missionary has extended, the membership of the
church has increased. There is no longer the same old pride,
nor prejudice, nor stand-offishness.

With all these radical changes in educational and govern-
mental methods, with the opening up of the country by rail-
ways, with the devising of many new plans of operation, there
is a loosening of the hold of the old superstitions, religious
practices and religious faith on a certain class of the people. Of
course superstition and idolatry are as strong as before and as
firmly held and observed by the uneducated and common
classes. But on the educated class, the free, open-minded, well-
read class, the old ways, customs, rites, worship are losing
their hold. We cannot fail to see that.

There may be a recrudescence of Confucianism, but it will
be minus many superstitious rites ; there may be a fresh propa-
ganda of Buddhism, but it will not be with the recognition of a
pantheon of gods. The new Confucianism and new Buddhism
will be moral and ethical with the rejection of the extraneous
matter that has gathered round the systems through the centuries.
Though the tendency in some quarters is to such, it is not at all
general, and meanwhile there is a want of faith in the old worship,
a shaking amongst the old superstitions, a changing of view-point
as well as of stand-point. When there is such unsettling of the
old cherished beliefs, we ask, What is going to take their place ?
Certainly the tendency is not towards Christianity.

With want of faith in the old, a general scepticism and
materialism are coming in. This is one of the problems of
Modernism, How are we as missionaries going to meet this
scepticism, this want of faith in the old idolatrous practices,
this materialistic tendency ?

How are we going to turn the minds of those wavering,
unbelieving ones towards Christianity, towards that which alone

1908] The Problem of Modernism in our Mission Work 261

can satisfy ? Here let me quote from an article that appeared
in the Expository Times for December, 1907. The writer
says: "Through the whole of Asia, from Japan to Egypt,
a ferment is in process which has spread from the intellectual
leaders and is fast taking possession of the different peoples ;
an impulse towards enlightenment, mental and spiritual, with
a resulting aspiration after national independence, which it
will be vain to suppress and mere blindness to ignore. When
we consider that it affects nearly half the human race, and
peoples of high intelligence and ancient civilisation, there can
be no two opinions as to its significance. The highest intellects
in Asia are no longer concerned with the truth or falsehood of
their old religions ; they are concentrated on the question of
enlightenment, of intellectual and social freedom, and above
all of national unity ; thus almost exactly reproducing the
process which took place in Europe more than four centuries
ago. If their aspirations are to be guided by religious con-
viction, that religion must be the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which
alone supplies a firm basis of brotherhood. And if that Gospel
is to be accepted by them, it must be presented in terms which
they can understand, and assimilated in forms congenial to
their categories of imagination and thought."

To meet this problem, then, we must change our methods
of approach. To meet the new need, the new phase of thought,
we must reconsider our methods of presenting Christianity.

What is the teaching we are going to offer ? What actual
system of belief concerning God, man, the universe, are we
going to substitute for the one the people hold, or rather, to some
extent, are losing hold of? What are we going to write upon
the Chinese mind coming to enquire of us as to our beliefs,
our civilisation, our Western methods ?

A weak evangelicalism, without backbone, without any
strength of thought, will make no impression, will exert no
influence for good. The kind of preaching that has too often
been in vogue in the mouths of native preachers and sometimes,
alas, in the mouths of missionaries repels rather than attracts,
awakes sarcasm rather than the interest to make further en-
quiry. So often in such preaching (which we have had to
listen to sometimes), there is no well-reasoned argument for
Christianity, but a railing at idolatry,, a sweeping condemnation
of all to eternal woe unless there is instant acceptance of the
Gospel, an immediate exercise of faith in Jesus Christ. There

262 The Chinese Recorder [May

is no attempt at conciliation, no recognition of good in the
systems that have held sway so long over the Chinese mind,
and which the missionary is seeking to supersede.

Such preaching can neither convince nor attract ; its only
tendency is to make the hearers inwardly hate the preacher
and drive them away from the Gospel.

We want breadth in our preaching, whether the hearers
be educated or otherwise ; we want a broad comprehensive view
of humanity — of its needs, its aspirations, its sins, its healing ;
and we v/ant a broad presentation of God's grace in Jesus
Christ. We want a broader outlook into the region of God's
grace, a larger hope in the ultimate results of salvation, a
greater faith that the seeking soul — by whatever way it goes
seeking — will be found by the seeking Redeemer.

Why is Christianity better than other religions ? It is better,
not because the others are all worthless and base, with no truth,
no good in them ; but because Christianity fills up what is lack-
ing, fills up what the others are behind in. Christianity is the
perfection of all that the others lack. It brings new truths to
men, it sets old truths in a new light, it reinvigorates the moral
relations. Christianity magnifies what other religions have
either thought of feebly or thought of not at all — Fatherhood,
Brotherhood, Humanitarianism, Altruism, Righteousness.

Our present methods of preaching do not commend Chris-
tianity in its highest, noblest, broadest sense to the cultured
and educated class in China ; and the men we have so often to
employ as native preachers cannot combat the scepticism and
materialism they meet, nor have they that broad grasp of the
Gospel that makes it attractive to all.

What can we do to meet the need, to solve the problem ?
First. — We need a literature specially suited to the time. We
need an apologetic, evidential literature, setting forth Christianity
on broad lines, showing what it has done in the world and in the
individual heart, what it can do for China and the Chinese. We
must show why Christianity is the crowning revelation of God.

Second. — We need a better educated, better prepared staff
of native preachers. That such is our present need every
missionary will admit.

We need men not only well acquainted with the Bible,
but men who can argue and reason and set forth Christianity
in its reality and beauty and power. To this end our men
should be acquainted with comparative religion.

1908] The Problem of Moderniiim in our Mission Work 253

Third. — We need some special effort to be put forth by
the missionary body to reach the educated and higher class of
Chinese. Too often the missionary keeps himself aloof from
these. But we have a duty to all classes of the people. A
series of lectures on secular subjects delivered in some central
hall by members of missions working in the district might be
attempted. A joint effort would cause the more stir and awaken
more interest. We want to get hold of the educated class to
instruct and enlighten on subjects of which they are ignorant.
The enlightenment of mind might lead to conversion of life in
paths of righteousness.

This problem of modernism meets us also within the
church itself:

ist. — In relation to the youth of the church.

2nd. — In relation to the teaching to be given in the church.
We shall now consider these two points in detail.

First. — The youth of the church.

What has often been forced upon me is the fact that lads
are growing up indifferent to church claims and Christian
influences who have been once upon a time received into the
church by baptism. They are in the church, and yet not of
the church. They are unacquainted with heathenism, but they
have not practically experienced the power of the Gospel in
their own lives. They know Christian facts as set forth in the
Bible, they do not know Christian power which makes men
new creatures in Christ Jesus.

How hard it is to keep hold of these lads. Somehow or
other they get lost to the church. Some are taken away from
school and apprenticed ; these are lost to all Christian influences
in the majority of cases. Apprenticed to heathen masters they
are ever kept in sight of heathenism and are forced to perform
heathen rites. Others drift away. Heathen they are not ;
Christians by name they are, but Christians in practice they are
not. We have known many such. The burden of them lies
heavy on the church as it lies heavy on us individually.
What do these lads become ?

Unbelievers, sceptics, they become, without faith, without
hope, and without God. Without God — not that God has for
an instant forgotten them, but that they are iguorant of Him
and have left Him. Others there are who have been taught in
mission schools, and having received a good education along
Western lines in English and higher subjects, have got into good

264 The Chinese Recorder [May

situations. These so often cease to take any interest in the
church and cease to attend the services. They read newspapers
and books of no Christian tone, rather of a destructive nature,
with the result of drifting away from all Christian influences and
losing all Christian ardour. I have a few in my mind —
young men who have come here to the Customs' service with
recommendations from pastors elsewhere. After a month or
two they cease coming near us, cease attending church.

This surely is a problem of modernism in our mission work.
What can be done to keep the youth in the church, to keep
them in active sympathy with the church work .'*

Sunday schools and Bible classes will not suffice. These
are good for boys and lads attending day-schools and still in
touch with the church. We need something after the style of
the Y. M. C. A. We need some central building with reading
and recreation rooms, where young men can get the best books
and papers, can meet together socially, can have evenings for
debate and other literary efforts.

It might be worth while for missions in one city to federate
on such a scheme. Why cannot a joint effort be made, instead
of dissipating force on individual schemes ?

All the missions in one centre might join together in
renting some building that might be fitted up as reading room,
library, and recreation room, and worked by a committee.
In such a building there might be rooms let out to young men
who have come as strangers from distant places and who so
often when left to themselves fall into an evil set. The same
building could also be used for the lectures mentioned in a
previous part of this paper. The scheme might be tried for the
sake of the youth of our churches drifting into carelessness,
indifference, and scepticism and perhaps worse than all that —
into unspeakable evils.

Second. — Our teaching in the church.

The spirit of modernism is coming into the church. Our
educated workers and students are, through their reading, asking
questions of biblical interpretation which we have got to answer.

In newspapers, magazines, and books they read articles on
Astronomy, Geology, Natural Science, which contradict
teaching they may have received in the church, which
contradict the usual interpretation of some Biblical narratives.
I have been asked questions by workers and students which
showed me the men were thinking and were not going

1908] The Problem of Modernism in our Mission Work 265

to be content with any unreasonable explanation. In our
teaching of students to be future teachers and preachers, in our
Sunday preaching to the congregation, what position are we
going to take up towards the present Higher Criticism ? We
may ignore it ; we may declare the infallibility of the Bible in
every point, in every narrative ; but so much has been established
by criticism, opposed to our old interpretations and old accep-
tations, that we cannot remain indifferent to it.

My contention is, if we refuse the fresh light that has been
shed on the Word of God, refuse to face difficulties and explain
them as best we can according to reason and research, we are
but making it more difficult for our native brethren. They
will meet these questions by and by ; and they will get
explanations by and by which may cast them into doubt and
despondency. The blame will be ours because we refused to
instruct them along the lines of modern research.

As one writer asks, "Are we to entangle the future
religious life of China by traditions, the true meaning of which
in world history we ourselves are just now learning, and from
the earlier damaging effect of which upon faith we are now
just escaping? Are we on these themes teaching what, as the
converts' minds develop, they will assuredly have to unlearn ?"

We want a higher tone in our preaching, more quality,
more reasonable explanations, and not a reiteration of Biblical
narrative as true because it is in the Bible.

Our workers and our members ought to be so taught as
to intelligently separate tradition from history. When they
can read the Bible in such a way, when they hear the Bible
expounded in such a way, then will it be respected by them and
become for them the Book of Books, the record of God's
dealings with the human race.

We need not say it is dangerous so to preach, so to teach —
dangerous to faith. It is a problem of modernism which, if not
already here, will soon come into the church. It is for us to
meet it and prepare our workers and people for its harsher
coming in literature that may not have a Christian tendency.

Some say, We must be simple in our preaching, for the
people are slow to understand and are so ignorant. Yes, but
there is a simplicity which is inane and savours of indiflferent
preparation.

266 The Chinese Recorder [May

We can be simple, j^et profound ; simple, yet conveying
the deepest and most sacred truths. We must expound the
Word in all its phases, in all its doctrines, and despise not any
fresh light, any new interpretation thrown upon it.

In my preaching I keep very much to the New Testament,
for there is the Gospel, there is the greatest and highest and
most precious revelation of God in Jesus Christ. But with the
Old Testament, I read it and teach it in the light of modern
research and modern broad — not higher — criticism.

I may possibly be misunderstood in my latest contention.
That this spirit of modernism is abroad and amongst us, we
know ; that problems are arising from it along the lines I have
stated, we are assured. It is for each missionary to settle the
question with himself. How am I going to meet this spirit of
modernism ? What best can I do for the people, heathen and
Christian, to lead them from darkness to light, from doubt to
iaith, from sin unto holiness ?

Each man will needs exercise all his powers of sympathy,
of love, of intelligence, of reason to meet the present pressing
need, to oppose the present modern spirit, to lead the people
into right wavs of thought and into rio;ht wavs of conduct.

The Revised Mandarin Version. Second Paper*

BY REV. A. SYDENSTRICKER.

THE aim of this imperfect review will be strictly con-
stmctivc. We assume that we have here a good result —
an assumption that certainly has strong arguments in
its favor — and hence that all criticism should be to improve
what we already have.

During the progress of the work the Revision Committee
had printed and sent out tentative editions of the books of the
New Testament as they were completed, asking for criticisms
and suggestions. These were intended to assist them in their
final review of the work. The writer took occasion of this
request to go over the whole New Testament with a good deal
of care, reading and comparing the revision with the Greek
and also with other translations. He thus came into close
contact and sympathy with the work of the Committee and is
prepared somewhat to speak with more or less of certainty.

* For a letter on this same subject see our Correspoudeuce columns, page 276,

i908] The Revised Mandarin Version. Second Paper 267

We have already referred briefly to some of the outstanding
features of the Revised New Testament — its literalness, its
closeness to the original, etc. These features impart something
of the freshness and crispness of the original to the tran-
slation. One feels that he is not reading a paraphrase, but a real
and faithful and exact translation. New life, vigor and interest
attach to the new version which makes it a pleasure to read it.

But another very important and helpful feature of the
Revision is, that it is more colloqidal than the old. It is
nearer the style of Mandarin spoken by good native speakers.
There is a good deal of phraseology and a considerable number
of words in the old version that are not usable in colloquial
speech, unless at least one speaks to an audience somewhat
familiar with the Bible. Though the Revision is not entirely
free from these faults, yet it is quite an improvement on the
old, and one cannot help but wish that in some words they
had gotten still nearer the real colloquial speech. The great
aim in a vernacular translation is, that those who hear may
understand what is read. But in order to gain this end it is
absolutely necessary that what is read be in the every-day
language of the people. The Chinese do not talk Wen-li^
nor do any considerable number of them understand it when
spoken or read to them. This is very much emphasized by
the fact that quite a considerable number in an ordinary
Chinese audience cannot read, are almost entirely unacquainted
with book language, have a very limited vocabulary at best,
and are accustomed to use a large number of local words and
phrases. Of course it would be utterly impossible for any
version that aims to be Vung-Jising over a large district to meet
all the needs of an illiterate audience ; but the aim should be
to come as nearly as may be to this standard. The matter of
first importance in addressing an audience is to be understood^
whether in reading or speaking to them. In the style and
language chosen by the Revisers they have gone a long way in
advance of the older versions in Mandarin.

Of course this does not mean that the meaning of the text
is always more readily understood ; the opposite of this may be,
and sometimes is, the case. A paraphrase, which is in fact
rather a commentary than strictly a translation, may make the
interpretation — or what the translators take to be the interpre-
tation— more clear than a close rendering. But, besides being
an unsafe method of dealing with the Sacred Text, it is not

268 The Chinese Recorder [May

what is wanted, which is, to get as near what is actually-
written as possible.

We are aware that some members of the Committee favored
a higher style of Mandarin, and a good many expressions in the
new Version may sound rather low to some missionaries and
Chinese scholars who spent the most of their time over books
written in Wen-li. But these are not the classes for whom the
book was made. The wants of the great mass, who have only
a limited education, must be considered. Even the scholars, be
they foreign or native, understand and are understood much
more readily if they speak and hear in the common spoken
language.

But to proceed, the Revisers have thus come nearer the
colloquial level of the language without afty loss of dignity
in style and language. There is a notion prevalent among the
old class of Chinese literati that spoken language is undignified,
that it is doing dishonor to the subject in hand to write it in
the common language of the people, and some missionaries
more or less share this feeling. But a form of language spoken
by some hundreds of millions of people and used to express all
sorts of ideas, from those shared by the poorest coolie to
the highest officials in the empire, and for all sorts of business
obtaining in an immense empire, can surely not be called
undignified. There is a dignity of expression and of style
that properly inheres in any translation of the Word of God ;
but this is a real dignity, found in the colloquial language of
the people, not in the stilted artificial style of books. Undigni-
fied thought and language is generally expressed in slang and
mere fn-hua (j^ |§), not in the widely current style of
intelligent people.

Of course the Revisers had here another great difficulty to
face : to write in widely current colloquial speech and at the
same time and constantly to preserve proper dignity of style.
But a careful reading of the text convinces one that they have
in this also succeeded, at least fairly well, if not, in fact, very
well. There is very widely current colloquial speech that is
neither Wtn-li on the one hand, nor V u~hua ( j;^ f$) on the
other, which it is exceedingly important to catch and master,
and it is difficult not to veer too much in either direction.
But one is convinced that the most exacting critic could not
find much to condemn along this line in the Revised Mandarin
Version.

1908] The Revised Mandarin Version. Second Paper 269

Another immense incidental advantage accompanying this
version should be stated and emphasized. It accrues to the ex-
pounder and teacher of the Bible. A close and accurate rendering
of the text saves an enormous amount of trouble to those whose
duty it is to teach, explain or comment on the Bible. This
advantage does not obtain in the old version, as anyone who has
some experience in this work can testify. In our teaching the
New Testament to the Chinese we have uniformly and almost
always avoided all reference to the original text, because all
such reference is more confusing than helpful. But this is
generally done with a distinct loss. But with the introduction
of the new version, coming so close to the Greek as it does,
there is scarcely any need to note any difference between the
translation and the text. There is an immense gain here, not
only in the time and trouble that it takes to make constant
corrections to the confusion of the audience, but the exposi-
tions and explanations can be made very much more lucid and
clear. What an advantage the pastors of the old Greek churches
must have had in not having to explain the meaning of the
words in the text, nor in correcting faulty translations. The
nearer a translation comes to the original the less of explanation
and correcting of words need be done. I have heard of Chinese
preachers reading a W&n-li Bible to their audience, for what
reason it would not be easy to guess, unless it afforded an op-
portunity to show their scholarship in rendering it into colloquial
as they read it. The teacher's time should be taken up in
bringing out and enforcing the meaning and application of the
Gospel, not in correcting and explaining the verbiage of the
translation.

Of course in what has been said in commendation of the
Revised Mandarin version above it is not by any means meant
that it has no faults, or that it is as perfect as it can be made.
Far from it. But we do mean to say that, after a careful read-
ing and comparison of the whole, we have here a good result,
and that all criticism of it ought to be constructive and helpful
to perfect, as near as may be, this new version. That it is cap-
able of improvement will clearly and frequently appear in a
more careful and close investigation of the text of the version.

The remarks so far made have been designed merely to
draw special attention to the chief leading features of the
Revision which give it a decided advantage over what we have
heretofore had in the Mandarin New Testament.

270 The Chinese Recorder [May

The Hun Yuen Men

BY REV. JAMES INGLIS

HUN Yuen Men iK; 7C P^ is the name of a sect which
has many adherents in Manchuria, and which has
attracted the attention of missionaries owing to the
number of converts that have been received from it. Its
members are generally men of inferior education, and are
seldom able to give an intelligent account of their beliefs and
practices. I offer the following notes in the hope that some
one may be able to throw more light on the subject.

The founder fig. was Han P'iao-kao %\> % '^, styled Ch'ing
Ytin ^ ^, a native of Kuang-p'ing-fu, in South Chihli. His
date is given the i6th day and 5th moon of the year Chia Wu
of Wan Li, i.e., 1594 A. D. We may remember that it was
also in this reign that Ricci came to China.

The sect is independent of temples and priests. It is con-
stituted of laymen, who pay a salary to their leaders y^ |^.
They meet in rooms attached to private houses, which are
sometimes without any idols, but little bronze images of Buddha
are often worn suspended from the neck. A man who became
a member of the sect in 1853, but who is now an elder of the
church, gave me the names of three generations of propa-
gandists of the faith, for each novice must have a personal
instructor to initiate him into the mysteries of the society.

From the Christian point of view the first thing that
drew attention to them was the fact that, in contrast with the
most of their fellow-countrymen, they have the sense of sin,
and that in becoming Christians they appeared to be specially
fervent and sincere. One of them gave me a book of prayers
addressed to Kuan Yin, in which she is asked to forgive all
sins, both those committed before entering the Society and
those committed since. Another told me that by reading his
books he was able to extinguish ^, the sins of nine generations.

They are described by one of themselves as a branch of
Taoists who worship Buddha. Anything that is vital, however,
they ascribe to Buddhism. They are of course vegetarians,
they believe in the "Western heaven," they worship "every-
thing they can," while their aim is moral discipline f^ \^
with the help of the repetition of sacred verses.

The novice is taught a secret formula ^ =*, which may
not be uttered or the heavens will fall. It is this: —

On Kuen I^un summit Omito Fo.
Lord Buddha merciful come to the Alo city
Lord Buddha merciful come to the joyous city
Lord Buddha merciful come to the restful city
Come Buddha sit on the spirit mountain.

1908] The Hun Yuen Men 271

The last sentence is repeated three times. The three " cities"
ai'e M ^ (presumably Atihan), ^ ^ and ^ ^. In reciting
this formula the disciple touches the crown of his head as
symbolized by Kuen Luu and his forehead as representing the
" ling shan."

They have also the " unwritten true classic" ^ ^ ]|L i^,
beginning H ^^ ^ ;i^ ^ and thereafter tracing the develop-
ment of the "Great Extreme" as in the Book of Changes with
some additions which we may trace to the T'ai Kih T'u of the
philosopher Chou.

In 1898 I spent a day in the house of a leader of the
Hun Yuen, and was allowed to see their books. These num-
bered ten volumes, written by hand in large type with a deco-
rated border. As their owner was ostensibly inquiring into
Christianity I offered to buy his books, but he declined the
offer. The house with its contents was afterwards burnt by
the Boxers.

The ten volumes represent five works, viz.

1- It m m 5c ^z fi m-

2- ^ X n 4- m »6 i^-
. 3- m 1ft ^i 5- m n IS-

I looked into the first of these and found a versified
account of the creation of the world, mainly Taoist in character
with a striking suggestion of the first chapter of Genesis, while
the Buddhist divinities are dragged in, one might say, out of
courtesy.

The following extract may serve as specimen: —

^ X if ^ ea Eg

^ m ^ m ^ /L

m m m - m m

^ m m ^ ^ ^$t

n m }^t -- m m

^ 5t ni u. m M

^ m i& ac m m

f ^ M ^ n m

^ ^ m ^ Ji i^

n ^t m M m

1^ m m ^ m

IE ^ ^ - ^^

^ >J> ^ ^ El

^ z m '^ ^

272

The Chinese Recorder

[May

Correspondence.

TARDY JUSTICE.

To the Editor of

"The Chinese Recorder"

Dear Recorder : It may be
still fresh in the minds of some of
your readers that some years ago
Dr. Ashmore, of Swatow, de-
scribed in several numbers of the
Recorder a celebrated case be-
tween Catholics and Protestants
near Swatow, in which the
Protestant side was represented
as the just one. No doubt such
was Dr. Ashmore' s conscien-
tious view as far as he knew at
that time. I was told years
after that the Mission afterwards
discovered that they had been
deceived and that the Catholics
were really the aggrieved party,
but no public intimation of this
ever appeared in print, probably
through some oversight. It is
not too late yet to do the Catho-
lics this justice, especially as
Colonel Denby in his book
" China and Her People," Vol. I,
PP- 97-9. fully corroborates the
true version. He says that as
soon as the Baptist Mission
discovered that it was the
Catholic who was right and the
Protestant wrong, they at once
paid a full indemnity.

I am, etc.

Tardy Justice.

a correction.

To the Editor of

"The Chinese Recorder."

Dear Sir : In your Corres-
pondence Department of the
April issue of the Recorder
there is a letter from Dr. H. C.

DuBose on "The Indoor and
Outdoor Staff in the Kiangnau,"
which needs a little correction.

He states that in the Kiangsu
province, south of the Yangtze,
there are 360 missionaries, of
which one-twelfth are located at
Chinkiang. This gives us much
too large a number at Chinkiang.
All told there are about 18 mis-
sionaries living at Chinkiang,
not 30 as his figures would give
us. . Of these eighteen, 7 are
men, and of these men two are
wholly engaged in evangelistic
work in the Chinkiang field. A
third has to divide his time be-
tween Chinkiang. Yangchow and
Wuhu. One other is a new
recruit, and is still at work on the
language, still another is oversee-
ing Bible colporteur work.

Of the sixty missionaries
located at Nanking only four of
the men are wholly engaged in
evangelistic work, one of these
a veteran unable to do itinerating
work. With these small correc-
tions I most sincerely agree with
the spirit of Dr. DuBose's letter.
The number engaged in evangel-
istic work, even including what
the "indoor .staff" does along
this line, is hopelessly small.
The large number engaged in
"institutional" work is dispro-
portionately large. The tend-
ency for several years in our
missionary work in China has
been toward indoor work. I
will not state the reasons which
occur to me for this, but simply
the fact. It is without doubt a
matter which demands careful
reconsideration and readjust-
ment.

A. Sydenstricker.

1908]

Correspondence

273

THE INTERNATIONAL MISSION-
ARY UNION.

To the Editor of

"The Chinese Recorder."

Dear Sir : The twenty-fifth
annual gathering of missionaries
of all Evangelical Missionary
Societies and from all lands will
convene at Clifton Springs, N.
Y., June 3-10, 1908. Through
the hospitality of the Sanitarium
and village, entertainment is pro-
vided for all past and present
f*oreign missionaries and for all
actual appointees (not candi-
dates) of the Boards.

The oV)ject of this Union is to
gather from every land God's
watchmen to tell us " What of
the night;" to get acquainted
with persons, fields, methods,
helps and hindrances in mission
work ; to promote missionary
sympathy, prayer, and fellow-
ship ; to see eye to eye and to
speak heart to heart out of per-
sonal experience of the love of
God, His power to save. His
grace to keep, and His comfort
to sustain ; to create, to formu-
late, and to promulgate united
sentiment on questions of public
and national interest ; and to en-
lighten and stimulate missionary
zeal in the home church.

All inquiries for programs and
further information should be
addressed to the Corresponding
Secretary, Mrs. H. J. Bostwick,
Clifton Springs, New York.
Rev. J. Sumner Stone, M.D.,
Recording Secretary.

THE TERM FOR THE PROTEST-
ANT CHURCH.

To the Editor of
"The Chinese Recorder."

Dear Sir : I was very sorry to
see in the last Recorders that
the old and familiar name Ye Su

Chiao HR ijf ?^ had to give way
to Chi Du Chiao ^g IP ^ in a
version of the Conference resolu-
tions. The name Ye Su Chiao
has now been in usage for over
sixty years and is so familar
with Chinese that a new name
will only create confusion. Only
a few days ago a high official of
the capital told me that one
thing he did not like about
the Protestants : ' They always
change their names of terms in
ofiicial documents.' The present
instance is the best illustration
of this statement. How artificial
is a sentence like this : $S ffi i^

and how clear and simple would
it be rendering it with the old

usage : H!5 M^ li I'J Jt JK 4» © ?

So also the other sentence : J^
W^'(kU^^% instead of

I quite understand what f^ |^
means, but I do not see what
good it does to put it together
with the new name ^ W ft- It
means neither Protestant nor
Christianity and gives us only a
new term long and bulky and
hard to understand for any out-
sider. I do not like to contradict
nor to criticize. But I feel it is
my duty and I think also every
missionary's duty who likes the
old usage to stand up and
deprecate the introduction of any
new term for Christianity.

Yours very truly,

Ch. W. Kastler.

To the Editor of

"The Chinese Recorder."

Dear Sir: I heartily sympathize
with the views of the Translation
Committee as expressed in the
March Recorder regarding the
criticisms passed upon them for
using the term ^ '^ ^ for Pro-
testant Christianity.

274

The Chinese Recorder

[May

It seems to me we are wasting
a great deal jf sentiment and
sympathy where it is not desired.
The Roman Church is apparent-
1}'^ not troubling itself much about
the terms we use ; they are satisfi-
ed with their own, and we hear
no hint of desiring unity, unless
we Protestants repent of our ways
and return to the true fold.

A very important practical
question is raised by the proposal
to use a term which will embrace
the Roman Church. Is it wise
or desirable from any point of
view, as regards missions, to
identify ourselves with the
Church of Rome, or to appear
to the Chinese to endorse in any
degree their doctrines or practice ?
A greater mistake, we believe,
could hardly be made.

The Chinese government and
people, after long years of con-
fusion, are beginning to distin-
guish between the principles
and practice of the ^ ^ Hfe and
the 5C i ii- They are coming
to know that one stands for the
Bible versus human traditions,
for spirituality versus ceremonies,
for separation of church from
state affairs versus a foreign
potentate, who from the days of
Kang Hsi and earlier, claimed
power over Emperors as well as
over the souls of men. Now
shall the Protestant church in a
burst of enthusiasm, carried away
with the idea of unity with a
body that does not desire it,
identify itself with that organi-
zation which the Chinese fear, and
have had reason to fear, as the
embodiment of despotic power
in both the civil and religious
sphere ? Such a course would
be suicidal. No surer wa}- could
be found of throwing away the
vantage ground gained by Pro-
testant missions in China during
the past hundred years.

We all rejoice to read of the

remarkable union meeting held
in Peking, in which members of
the Greek and Roman churches
took part. But this is wholly
different from the spirit and
practice of the members of those
churches throughout the coun-
try. While we wish to cultivate
a kindly charitable spirit toward
Romanists and all men, we can-
not but feel that considering the
policy pursued by their church
throughout China, it is better
not to identify ourselves with
them. To do ^o will mean to
assume a burden of hatred and
prejudice which will prove a
millstone around the neck of
Protestant missions.

The burning question for us
now is, How shall each Protestant
body remove obstacles which
stand in the way of co-operation
and unity among ourselves ?

We can do this by avoiding
names for our various com-
munions which seem to ignore
the rights of our brethren to be
equally with us, a part of the
church of Christ. We can do
much to promote unity by cordial-
ly acknowledging the ministerial
ordination and the sacrament of
other bodies and by exchanging
pulpits and other ministerial
courtesies with pastors of other
communions. These are the
vital things that make for peace
and unity ; it is the neglect of these
things that wounds Christ and
divides branches of the church.
If these things are attended to,
no matter whether we believe in
the Historic Episcopate or the
Apostolic Presbytery ; no matter
whether we belong to the great
Methodist or Baptist host, we
will be one at heart, and while
each may retain his own organiza-
tion, there will be " unity in
diversity " as set forth by St.
Paul in I Cor. xii. Unless we
are each willing to remove the

1908]

Correspondence

275

obstacles which unconsciously
peihaps our own communion is
throwing in the way of unity, all
our prayers regarding schism and
the unhappy divisions of Christ-
endom are meaningless, and will
not rise above our own heads.
Henry M. Woods.
Hwaianfu.

PROSELYTING VS. PROPHECY.
7o the Editor of
"The Chinese Recorder."
Dear Sir : The following ad-
mirable sentences are culled from
Principal Grant's little book,
"The Religions of the World,"
and may be helpful to some of
your readers : —

" It was the conviction of this
same truth that made Paul a
missionary to the Gentiles and
the model for missionaries to all
time. He became a Jew to the
Jews, a Greek to the Greeks, and
a barbarian to the barbarians.
We have only to study his
sermons to the people of I^ystra
and of Athens and compare them
with his sermons in the syna-
gogues to understand how
thoroughly he adapted himself
to the needs, the history, and
the actual religious condition of
the people to whom he preach-
ed ; how genial was his attitude
and how consistently he operated
along the line of least resistance
in seeking to bring men to the
Saviour. He saw that Chris-
tianity had broken down the
middle wall of partition between
the nations and opened a uni-
versal temple ; and when others,
even apostles, would have kept
the church as a mere Jewish sect,
he, in the spirit of Jesus, made
it the religion of humanity.

"Clearly the only way to un-
derstand how we should approach
a man who has been brought up
in another faith is by putting

ourselves in his place. We would
disdain being proselytised, though
we are ready to welcome truth.
But,admittedly,noonecan benefit
us who makes his approach with
an air which plainly says that he
alone knows all truth, that what
we have hitherto believed and
acted on is all false, and that the
very father and mother whose
memories we revere are for ever
excluded from the light of God's
face. If he comes to us with
such assumptions of his own
superiority and with a scarcely
concealed contempt for our fore-
fathers, he can never be God's
prophet to us. He must take a
different attitude altogether. He
must stand with us on the com-
mon platform of brotherhood.
He must take the trouble to find
out what we have done. He
must speak our language, under-
stand our music, study our be.st
literature, honour our past, com-
prehend our philosophy, sympa-
thise with our ideals, love those
whom we love, and appreciate
the deepest elements in our lives.
In a word he must respect and
love us. Then, if he is greater
than we are, and if he has new
truth to communicate or new
power to impart, we gladly
accept him as leader."

" Proselytism detaches indi-
viduals, who, as a rule, are worth
little, but it arrests internal
development. Prophetism gains
individuals, who become centres
of force, and it thus initiates
movements which may be delay-
ed or defeated but cannot be
destroyed." " We shall never
gain the non-Christian nations
until we treat their religions with
justice, and until courtesy, re-
spect, and love take the place of
the contempt which is now so
general, and the only excuse for
which is that it is largely based
upon ignorance."

276

The Chinese Recorder

[May

Some have already acted upon
advice similar to the above,
others need it, still others don't
want it, but none will be the
worse for pondering again over

it.

Yours faithfully,

W. E. SoOTHILIv.

Imperial University,
Taiyuan.

NOTES ON THE UNION VERSION
OF THE N. T.

To the Editor of
" The Chinese Recorder."

The following notes, gathered in
my reading of the Union Version
of the New Testament (Kuan
Hua), may be of interest to those
who have read the articles which
you have already printed on this
subject : —

John iv. 24. ± *?^ :i f@ %^-
I object to this rendering on fol-
lowing grounds :

(i). f@ is undignified and
somewhat depreciatory. Dr.
Mateer gives the " classifiers " of
%^ as -fit or ^..

(2) . The use of a " classifier ' '
at all is misleading, as if to say
that ± ^ is one "^ among
others.

I do not think the original can
be held to mean that God is one
Spirit among others, although
Scripture recognizes the existence
of many spirits.

Dr. Marcus Dods (Expositor's
GreekTest.)says: "God is Spirit.
Cf. God is Light ; God is Eove."

Compare the following :• —

6 0eor 0wr KtTTt, I John i. 5.
6 fleor aydnri kariv, i John iv. 8.
TTvevfia 6 0e6c.
Btog- r)V 6 Aoyof, John i. i.

In all these cases the partitive
force of the indefinite article or
the " classifier" is out of place.
TTvevjia virtually=iji$ ^.

(<i^ ^ • This appears, so far as I
have traced it, seventeen times as
equivalent for liov, twice for I'fJe,
once for l^Bre.

On the other hand, I find \<h
once and l<^ov eleven times un-
translated, and in five cases Mou
is rendered by ^^ ^, twice by fij;
fP9 ^, twice by ^, once by TiJ ^.

In Mark i. 2 we have ffj; ^,
but in the parallel Matthew xi.
10 l<^ov is untranslated ; the orig-
inal being verbally identical
throughout.

This seems to be a case where
a literal translation is often mis-
leading. For some time I have
been watching the common use
of this phrase, and I must hold
that in general it is not a correct
representative of l^ov. For one
thing it is very familiar and
colloquial. At the beginning of
a sentence it is like " you see,"
"don't you see," after a state-
ment made it is thrown in as if
to say, " think of that ! " It is
commonly used in reply to a
surprising statement equivalent
to " you don't say so ! "

Examining the passages in
detail.

John xix. 5, 14. — I suggest
^ ^ , and for t'(Je 0 dvQpojno- ^

^ *^ :! Jft A.

I John iii. i. — Change to plural

Heb. X. 7. — This seems pecu-
liarly unfortunate, as addressed
to God. Cf. Acts ix. 10, Mou^'yw,
Kiipte. In l^ov i]KU) the idea of
" seeing" is surely lost. This is
merely a translation of tl^ T\ which
emphasizes the verb following.

Rev iii. 20, xvi. 15, xxii. 7,
12. — These appeals from the
mouth of our Lord require some-
thing more dignified than f;^ ^.

In several other cases I should
prefer ^ § , but these are not so
important.

Yours truly,

James W. Ingus.

1908]

Our Book Table

277

Our Book Table.

The object of these Reviews is to give real information about
books. Authors will help reviewers by sending with their books,
price, original if any, or any other facts of interest. The custom
of prefixing an English preface is excellent.

Breaking Down Chinese Walls. From
a Doctor's viewpoint. By Elliott
I. Osgood, M.D., missionary at
Chucheo, Anliui Province. F. H.
Revell. Pp. 217.

These twenty-one chapters deal
with the aspects of medical and
other missionary work from an
every-da\' standpoint, and will
be useful in making real actual
conditions in China. Too much
stress is perhaps laid upon some
"reforms" in China, which
have as yet borne no fruit, or
only bitter fruit.

A. H. S.

I

China in Legend and Story. By C.
Campbell Brown, lormerly Davis
.scholar of Chinese at Oxford, and
for ten years resident in China.
Edinburgh and London : Oliphant,
Anderson and Ferrier. Pp. 253,

In these 17 sketches Mr.
Brown (who is a missionary
of the English Presbyterian
Mission at Chinchou, Fukien)
has endeavored to introduce
local coloring by the narration
of Chinese tales and legends,
followed by stories involv-
ing Chinese Christians in the
setting of native surroundings.
Much of this will no doubt be
new to foreign readers about
China, as some of it is likely to
be to those from other parts of
this diversified empire.

A. H. S.

The Continent of Opportunity, The
South American Republics : their
History, their Resources, their Out-
look, together with a Traveller's
Impressions of Present-day Con-

ditions. By Dr. Francis E. Clark.
F. H. Revell Co. Pp. 349.

This volume of 40 chapters is
full of fresh and interesting in-
formation in regard to a con-
tinent of which we in Asia may
be said to know next to nothing.
From the outline sketches of
the eleven different countries
which are included, it is striking-
ly evident that the great world
movement has struck them, and
that political and social chaos is
in process of slow replacement
by order and a far reaching eco-
nomic development. This is
especially true in the more ad-
vanced states, like Chile, Argen-
tina, and Brazil. The extraordi-
nary changes and improvements
in Rio de Janeiro far surpass
anything in North America.
Signs of educational and religious
progress are carefully noted in
detail. This is one of the
author's best travel books.

A. H. S.

Roderick Macdonald, M.D. By his
widow. Published by Robert Cul-
ley (Methodist Publishing House),
London. Price 3s. 6d.

This volume may perhaps not
meet with the wide circulation
it deserves because Dr. Mac-
donald, of Wuchow — the victim
of the Sainani outrage — was not
exactly a well-known man. To
the church at home he was little
known through his continuance
at his po.st when he might have
taken a furlough, and to mission-
aries in other parts of China
outside the two Kwang provinces

278

The Chinese Recorder

[May

his name was not perhaps
familiar, simply through his own
retiring disposition. But to all
who knew him, or had even
once met him, he was essentially
a great man, if faith and courage
and patience combined with
courtesy and modesty and gentle-
ness can constitute greatness.
We are glad therefore that this
memoir has been produced, and
would wish for it a wide circle
of readers.

The task of writing this bio-
graphy has been undertaken by
his widow. It need scarcely be
said that it must have been a
duty which sometimes cost her
much pain at heart, for the
inner life of Dr. Macdonald is
here laid bare as it could have
been by no one else. It is in
this that the book finds its
highest value. Dr. Macdonald
in life showed forth the love of
Christ which possessed him in all
that he did. We now know how
his diary and his letters to his
parents or his son at school or
his wife were radiant with the
same spirit of affection and the
same buoyant assurance that the
Kingdom of Christ was coming.
The details of his early days and
of his early missionary work in
Shiuchow and Fatshan are re-
corded, and more space is given
to the opening of the work in
Kwangsi. But it is his inner
soul-story which is the especial
attraction of the book. We
wonder if a Chinese version
could not be produced.

The volume is well produced,
containing 300 pages of reading
matter and 22 good illustrations.
T. W. S.

Heathenism under the Searchlight,
by W. Rerafrey Hunt. Published
by Morgan and Scott, IvOndon.

Supporters of missionary work
who desire to have the faults aud

vices of heathendom set in vivid
contrast with the virtue of Chris-
tendom will find much material
for their purpose in this book.
We question very much, how-
ever, whether in the end any
good purpose is to be served by
taking the worst of China, set-
ting it in contrast with the best
of Christendom and calling the
process by the title of the work
before us. By a soberer form of
statement and a greater reserve
our author would have made a
far more effective use of the
amount of interesting material
he brings before his readers. The
colours of the pictures he draws
strike us as altogether too thick-
ly laid on. " Heathenism . . .
has crushed out every upward
thought and destroyed the bright
imaginative faculties of the most
cesthetic people in the world.^'
It is the Chinese to whom re-
ference is made, not the Japanese.
" Millions are lost per annum
through epidemics .... The
filth and stenches are indigenous
(sic). In a word heathenism is
like a vast lazar house." " There
are no homes in heathendom."
" Although chastity is a virtue
highly praised, there is little
purity and innocence in its
maidenhood." " Motherhood is
a negligable quantity " and so on.
We are told of a girl offering her-
self for sale in the advertising
columns of a newspaper, and the
author says that this condition
is not an abnormal one. When
we read on page 127 of Mr.
Hunt's desire for 'a recognition
of the high intellectual and spirit-
ual calibre of the missionary
body ' we could wish the author
had left this to some one other
than a missionary to say. In
the same way we feel that the
author's reference to himself
in the preface is a matter that
might have been expressed dif-

1908]

Our Book Table

279

ferently or not at all with bene-
fit. " lu close touch with the
Chinese in all classes of so-
ciety, and in association with
the respective exponents of their
reli;j;ions, to<;etlier with a close
study of their classic and native
literature among the native stu-
dents, we have, with profound
emotion and sad and thoughtful
heart, been enabled to get an
actual time focus on the existing
conditions." In spite of this, we
think the book fails to give a
fair picture of the conditions of
life in China it sets out to portray.
The concluding chapters of the
book contain an effective appeal
to the Christian churches for a
deeper measure of sacrificial
service in behalf of China. Some
of the passages here are among
the best in the book. We pre-
sume that when the author chose
this title for his work he was
acquainted with Mr. Cornaby's
book, " China under the Search-
light."

B.

Tlie Christian Movement in Japan.
The Rev. D. C. Greene, D.D.,
Editor; E. W. Clement, A.M..
Assistant Editor. Published for the
Standing Committee of Co-operat-
ing Christian Missions. Methodist
Publishing House, Ginza, Kyoba-
shi, Tokyo.

This is the fifth issue of a
series of volumes published an-
nually and intended, as the title
indicates, to illustrate the Chris-
tian movement in Japan. It
contains, however, within a
small and convenient compa.ss, a
great deal more than its title
would lead one to suppose, and
the Editors are to be congratu-
lated upon their success in solv-
ing the problem which confront-
ed them, viz., "to serve the
interests of two quite different
classes of readers — those actu-

ally on the
familiar with
tures of the
in the home
formation is
mentary,"
which are

ground, who are
the general fea-
work, and those
lands, whose in-
meagre and frag-
The "details"
welcomed by the

former are certainly not lacking
in this book, and at the same
time it furnishes for these who
are "impatient of details"
that ' ' comprehensive statement ' '
which should help them " to a
true perspective."

In the opening chapter the
Editor seeks to remove certain
misconceptions of Japan and her
people which are prevalent in
some minds, and in this con-
nection dealing with the over-
emphasis upon cla.ss distinction
in Japan, a fault into which
merely .superficial observation
has betrayed some writers, makes
the striking statement that " the
democratising movement has so
far advanced that it is an
open question whether even in
America it is as easy for one of
lowly birth, by his own exer-
tions, to rai.se himself to high
position in the state." Such an
expression of opinion, given
after mature consideration, by
one whose intimate acquaintance
with the institutions and customs
of both countries entitles him to
write authoritatively, is in re-
markable antithesis to the state-
ment of a recent writer, to which
reference is made, to the effect
that with the possible exception
of India, there is no country in
the world where so much is made
of class distinctions as in Japan.

Other misconceptions are as
effectively dealt with, such as
the assumption that the new
order of things prevails but
slightly beyond the open ports
and large cities of the Empire —
the over-estimate of the au-
thority of the government — the

280

The Chinese Recorder

[May

national attitude in regard to
militarism, etc.

We are told, too, that judicial
equity prevails in the "Island
Kingdom" not merely theore-
tically, but in actual fact — that
" criminal and civil law protects
high and low alike, writs run
freely and apparently without
prejudice," a condition of things
that will especially appeal to
those of us who are waiting for
the dawning of an equitable
judiciary era in this great Chinese
Empire.

The chapters on foreign and
domestic affairs are full of inter-
esting facts for the student of
things Japanese, and those on
" Business" and " Education "
bristle with figures and statistics
that show in the most effective
way the marvellous progress that
is being made along these lines.

Other chapters in this wonder-
fully comprehensive little book
are devoted to such subjects as :

The Army and Navy,
Charities and Social Reform,
The Japan Peace Society,

whilst the 2nd part deals with
Christian work under such va-
rious heads as :

Medical Missions,

The Salvation Army,

Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A.,

C. E. and Sunday Schools,

The Bible and Tract Societies,

Churches and Missions, etc.

There are also useful appen-
dices, which, beside containing
the Report of the Sixth General
Meeting of the Standing Com-
mittee of Co-operating Missions
in Japan, have statistics of Chi-
nese students studying in Tokyo,
a translation of the new Russo-
Japanese Convention, a Mission-
ary Directory and the latest
statistics oi Christian Missions
in Japan.

The Standing Committee of
Co-operating Christian Missions,
under whose auspices and with
whose imprimatur this book is
issued, is to be heartily con-
gratulated upon the publication
of a work that is a veritable
" multum-in-parvo," containing
within a small compass and in
compact form a mass of informa-
tion useful alike to missionary,
merchant and student, and in
fact to all who are in any way
interested in the religious, moral
and material progress of the new
Japan.

Such a book as this is a crying
need for China, and although the
difficulties of compilation would
doubtless be increased greatly,
they should not be insuperable.
Here is scope for activity along
the lines of federation and union
that would be eminently practical
and useful, a "union" report
of missionary effort and results,
together with other useful in-
formation relative to current
movements, and authenticated
reports of all that concerns the
spiritual, moral, and material
well-being of China.

G. H.

Light in tlie East. 32nd Annual Re-
port of the Central China Relijiious
Tract Society, 1907. Printed at
Press of the N. B. S. S., Hankow.

East year's Report was a thing
of beauty, and no doubt the
Committee had the Centenary
Conference in view when they
showed us how attractively such
a booklet could be issued. But
this year the usual economy re-
sumes sway ; and the result is
a sober thing on cheap paper with
p. 17 at the beginning and page
I in the middle of the volume.
The matter is, however, so excel-
lent that the reader is willing to
search a little for the broken
threads.

1908]

Oui Book Table

281

During 1907, 1,036,570 ordinary
publications were issued, besides
714,000 of the National Bible
Society's Introductions. These
figures almost equal those of 1905,
when the circulation reached its
highest point. The following
new books were accepted for
publication, viz : —

Gospel Reader, Part 2. Mrs.
Arnold Foster.

Life of Pastor Lo. C.W.Allan.

New Testament History. P.
Matson.

Commentary on Romans. Jas.
Jackson.

Story of an Anti-opium Cru-
sade. Wm. C. White.

The total income for the year
(apart from the Jubilee Fund)
amounted to Taels 11,860.75
and the expenditure to Taels
10,986.17. Among the donors
the R. T. S. of London is con-
spicuous with ^300 for the sup-
port of the agent. Rev. H. B.
Stewart. The Society is happy
in the annual help of Canadian
friends who support some col-
porteurs ; the only society of the
kind in China which has this
useful method of distribution.
Why should not other societies
have the same ? Competition is
keen. The world is making a
big bid for the attention of the
Chinese reading public with its
secular wares. Why should not
other societies have the same
means of circulation placed at
their disposal al.so ? We com-
mend this to the Laymen's Mis-
sionary Movement. They know
the value and necessity of
"drummers" in their own busi-
ness.

The Griffith John Jubilee Fund
is making good progress. Sir
Robert Hart gives /^,ioo and the
Reyner Trust of Liverpool pro-
mises another ^500, but about
;{^2,ooo are still needed to fully
carry out the Society's building

.scheme. Meantime a temporary
building, costing less than Taels
2,000, has been erected on the
valuable site. When the main
building goes up, this will be
used as a godown. The return
of Dr. Griffith John to Hankow
and his address at the Annual
Meeting are the outstanding
features of rejoicing during the
year. We quote a few sentences :
" We believe that secular knowl-
edge and secular prosperity can
never save China. Chri.st alone
can do that." "This Society
aims at national reformation
through individual conversion
or regeneration. A perfectly
sane aim. ' Conversion by the
million ? ' A fine ambition. But
how is it to be accomplished ? "
..." I wish we had no further
need of tracts such as ours —
tracts for the heathen, for the
ignorant, for the unconverted.
But we do need them still, and
shall need them for many years to
come. China has not outgrown
these tracts, China is not yet con-
verted. Our tracts have not done
their work. We shall need to
multiply books and tracts special-
ly adapted to meet the needs of the
times, dealing with questions that
are stirring the minds of men at
this time. Let the tracts be
decidedly Christian, intensely
Christian, but let the outlook,
the view point, be new and fresh.
As our preaching must be adapted
to the age, so must our litera-
ture. The old-fashioned preachers
are still required." ... "I do
not think the new times require
NEW methods ; and I am sure the
old methods are not obsolete."
" JVe ivant more of evcrythiiig^
and more efficiency in everything. ' *
" Beware of the one-method man.
He is a nuisance " He concluded
by saying he was still an in-
veterate optimist and had the
brightest hopes for the future of

282

The Chinese Recorder

[May

the work. Several speakers re-
ferred to the wish to revive the
Hankow monthly magazine,
which seems, however, to be mean-
time impossible. Three excel-
lent illu.stratioris in the Report
serve to add interest to the
descriptions and testimonies from
many sources of definite and
traceable results from the read-
ing of books. Become a sub-
scriber and you will receive an
inspiring Report annually.

Chairman, Rev. Ting lyi-mei ; a
paper on the Evils of Lawsuits,
by Wm. P. Chalfant, of A. P. M.,
and a rousing closing address by
Rev. Chia Yu-ming, of Weihsien,
on Revivals. While the Report
is published mainly in order to
educate the Christian public
opinion of Shantung in view of
the Conference to be held next
July, yet the Secratary will be
glad to send copies elsewhere as
far as they will go.

K. W. B.

ill ^ ® # IP. ^-^- Report of Shantung
Federaiion Conference. vSeptember,
1907.

A limited number of Reports
of the Shantung Federation Con-
ference of September, 1907, have
been printed, and single copies can
be had for 10 cents, or ten copies
for 75 cents, post free, on applica-
tion to the Secretary, E. W.
Burt, Weihsien. The book is
in Mandarin, and contains, first,
a full list of the missions and
delegates who took part in the
recent Conference ; secondly, the
official minutes of the proceed-
ings ; thirdly, an able paper by
L. J. Davies, of Tsingtau, on the
Aims and Advantages and Prac-
tical Proposals of the Shantung
Federation. Then follow the
papers that were presented and
discussed at the Conference, and
these will prove of value to mis-
sionaries, pastors and evangelists
in other parts of the field,
whether specifically interested in
federation or not. For instance,
there is a thoughtful and exhaust-
ive paper on the Preparation of
Men as Preachers, by W. Lut-
schewitz, of the Berlin Mission ;
another by E. C. Nickalls, of
English Baptist Mission, on the
Pastoral Office ; a striking plea
for an independent church, or
rather for efforts looking in that
direction, by the Federation

^ )]«; sg J^. The Right- Angled Triangle.
8vo., 86 leaves. Presbyterian Mis-
sion Press Price 40 cents.

This work, by a former gra-
duate of the Tengchow College,
Mr. Chang Tei-hsi, gives evid-
ence of a clear mind and of
careful, methodical thought.
The introduction states clearly
the fundamental principles in-
volved, including a demonstra-
tion of the Pons Asinorum. The
body of the work, divided into
four parts, treats of the applica-
tion of the properties of the
R. A. triangle to the solution of
problems connected with circles
and curves ; to others usually
solved by plane trigonometry ;
to the mensuration of plane
surfaces, and of the application
of algebra to questions connected
with the R. A. triangle. A
number of test problems are
then given, followed by answers
to all the problems contained in
the book.

A minor criticism would be
that the form in which the
problems are stated, is too
rigid. Variety might have been
gained by not, e. g., taking the
"city gate" so frequently as
the point of departure. This
criticism does not apply, how-
ever, to the principles involved ;
cue is surprised to note the wide

1908]

Our Book Table

283

range of uses to which the loiter-
ing place of our early ciays is put.
The book might have been
more generally useful if issued
some fifteen years ago, but
though " born out of due time,"
a sphere of usefulness still exists
for it, either in schools whose
students are not satisfied with
algebra, but who lack either
time or inclination to take up
geometry and trigonometry ;
among literati fairly familiar
with Chinese methods, but who
have not had the opportunity for
studying Western mathematics ;
or as a substitute for analytical
geometry and calculus in schools
where the students who are not
bright enough to take English
are required to take advanced
mathematics. ^ ^^ ^

SvT 1f^ 1^ 0^ Metrical version of the
Psalms, by F. W. Haller. Presby-
terian Mission Press. This book is
issued in three styles: in cheap
Chinese binding, on foreign white
paper in stiff paper covers, and in
half leather binding. The prices
are: Chinese style, o.io ; Foreign
white paper (stiflf covers), 0.20 ; Half
leather 0.60.

There are few missionaries
who have not at some time or
other regretted that the Chinese
Christians find so little spiritual
help in the Psalms, This metrical
version by F. W. Bailer is an
attempt to make this portion of
Scripture more intelligible and
therefore more helpful and at the
same time more popular. These
verses are written in good strong
Mandarin, which is easy to be
understood and is yet dignified
and graceful.

Mr. Bailer does not claim to
have made a new translation of
the Psalter. Indeed the para-
phrase is sometimes so free that
one has difficulty in recognising
the original. The ninety-seveuth
Psalm is a case in point.

What has been attempted is " a
metrical summary of the salient
points which can be easily com-
mitted to memory." This aim
has been accomplished and ac-
complished perliaps as well as it
could be done. The diction is
clear and the rhythm smooth.
It is too much to expect that the
book will ever have the vogue
in the Chinese church which the
English metrical version of the
Psalms has had and .still has
in Scotland, but these spiritual
songs will certainly be sung in
every church in China with pro-
fit and, let us trust, pleasure to
the worshipper.

The ver.ses are cast in the
usual short, common and long
metre stanzas, so that they may
be sung to familiar tunes. But
surely every one who uses the
book will be astonished to find
that the hundredth Psalm is cast
in a metre which will not sing to
"Old Hundred," nor will the
twenty-third Psalm sing to "The
Lord's my Shepherd." This is
puzzling. One can but wonder
why it is so.

J. D.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

World Book Company'' s Books,
New York and Manila.

The Philippine Chart Primer.

The First Year Book. Specially
adapted for the Philippines, with
suggestions for seat work and class
work. Fully illustrated.

E. J. Arnold and Son's Books.
Leeds and Glasgow.

The "A. L." Tiny Readers. Being
stories and pictures for the little
ones. Each id.; in cloth-lined
cover, 2d.

The Three Bears ; Little Cinder
Girl.

The "A. L." Little Stories for Little
Readers.

Kitty's Party : Jim and His
Dog Spot.

284

The Chinese Recorder

[May

The "A. L." Educational Series.
Object Lesson Readers for Infants
and Juniors.

The New Baby ; Simple lessons

on the Rain.
In Fields and Lanes ; Simple
Lessons on Birds.

The " A. L" Bright Story Readers.

Grade I ^sop's Fables. (A

Selection). 2d
Grade II. The Little Grey

Mouse. 2S. 2d
Grade III. Sindbad the Sailor.

3d.

Grade IV. The Christmas Stock-
ing. 4d.

Grade V. Robin Hood and his
Merrie Men 4d.

Grade VI. The Last Days of
Pompeii. 4d.

The " A. L " Table Book. Weights,
Measures, Metric System, etc. is.
2d.

Scholar's English Dictionary.

Artistic Brush-Drawing. No. I

Plain Words on Duty and Conduct
for Boys and Girls in School.

Messrs. MacMillan and Com-
pany's Books.

The Utopia of Sir Thomas More.
Translated by Ralph Robinson, with
introduction and notes by H. B.
Cotterill, M.A. Price 2S. 6d.

The Story of Aladdin, or the Wonder-
ful Lamp Supplementary Readers
for Seniors. Price 4d.

Lessons in Science. A Preliminary
Course of Physics and Chemistry.
By R. A. Grej-ory, F R.A.S., pro-
fessor of Astronomy, Queen's Col-
lege, and A. T. Simmons, B.Sc,
Associate of the Royal College of
Science, London. Indian edition.
Price R. I. 8

Books in Preparation.

(Correspondence invited.)

The following books are in cour.se
of preparation. Friends engaged in
translation or compilation of books
are invited to notify Rev. 1). Mac-
Gillivray, 44 Boone Road, Shanghai,
of the work they are engaged on, so
thiit this column may be kept up
to date, and overlapping prevented.
N. B. Some whose names have been
on this list a long iitne are asked to
write and say if they have given up
the work, or what progress, if any,
they are making. Perhaps they are
keeping others from doing the work.

C.L. S. List:—

Booker T. Washington's "Up from
Slavery." By Mr. Kao Lun-ching.

Selections from Hastings' Bible Dic-
tionary. By D. MacGillivray.

The Incarnate »Saviour. By D. Mac-
Gillivray.

Three-fold Secret of the Holy Spirit
(McConkey). By Miss Home (out).

Japanese Educational System. E.
Morgan (out).

Sharman's "Studies in the Life of
Christ." By Miss Sarah Peters.
Nearly ready for the press.

Ballantine's Inductive Studies in
Matthew.

Alone with God, by Dr. J. H. Garri-
son. W. Remfry Hunt.

Psalms, Metrical Version of, by F.
W. Bailer (in press).

The Five Great Offerings. By F. W.
Bailer (in press).

Organ Instructor. By Mrs. R. M.
Mateer.

Teddy's Button. Mrs. R. M. Mateer.

Murray's New Life. R. A. Haden.

Murray's Like Christ. By Mr. Chow,
Hangchow College.

Illustrations for Chinese Sermons,
by C. W. Kastler.

By the same. Chinese Preacher's
Manual and Daily Light for Chinese.

Systematic Theology. 12 parts.
Dr. DuBose.

Stepping Heavenward. By Mrs.
Crossette.

Expository Com. on Numbers. By
G. A. Clayton.

Expos. Com. on Hebrews, by G. L.
Pullan.

Little Meg's Children. By Mrs.
Crossette.

Prof. Chwolson's Hegel, Hackel,
Kossuth, and the 12th Commandment.
By F. Ohlinger.

Miss Garland proposes a Childrens'
Hymnal on a scale much larger than
hitherto attempted — iu fact a Chinese
"Golden Bells."

1908]

Missionary News

285

Sermons on Acts. Gcnahr.

Poiitoppidan's Explanation of Lu-
ther's Catechism. American Lutheran
Mission.

Outlines of Universal History. H.
L. W. Bevan, Medliurst ('ollege.

Concordance Dr. C H. Fenn.

Essentials of Cliristianitv (Methodist
Theology). Dr. A. P Parker.

Torrey's What the Bible Teaches.
By J.' Speiclier.

Tholuck's Sermon on the Mount.
By J. vSpeicher.

Psychology for Teachers. By S. B.
Drake.

Ancient Babylonia and Assyria. By
S. B. Driike.

"His Great Apostle," and "His
P'riends. " By Rev. Chang Yang-hsiin.

Catechism for Primary Sunday
Schools. By Mrs. Crawford.

Choosing a Life Work — Yours. A
manual of texts for young Christians.

Stalker's Paul.

Robert Speer's Principles of Jesus.
J H. Jowett's The Passion for Souls.
Both in mandarin. Many Infallible
Proofs. Inspiration of a Christian.
Fulness of Power. By J. Vale.

Mrs. Nevius' Mandarin Hymn Book.

Dr. and Mrs. Nevius' Manual for
Christians, with answers to the ques-
tions.

Practical Chemistry in three parts :
I. Inorganic, Elementary.
II. Inorganic, Qualitative and
Quantitative Analysis.
III. Organic. By H. G. Whitcher
and Bae Yii-chang.

Practical Physics, by the same and
Liu Kuang-chao.

Higher Algebra, by the same and
Liu Kuang-chao.

The Roman Theology and the Word
of God, by Alphonso Argento.

Constructive Studies in Life of
Christ. H. W. Luce.

New Primer of Standard Romaniza-
tion on the Accumulative Method.
By Frank Garrett.

Notes on the Chinese Text of Mat-
thew, II.-VIL, by F. W. Bailer.

By V. M. C A. .—

Main Lines in the Bible. Fred. S.
Goodman.

How to Study the Bible. Torrey.

Habit. Prof. William James.

Stones from the Brook.

Fundamental Principles of the
Christian Life. H. C. King.

Outline Studies in Biblical Facts and
History. J. N De Puy and J. B Travis.

1. Pandita Ramabai. J. Hutson.

2. Secret of Victory Over Sin. J.
Hutson.

3. Young Men, Don't Drift. J.
Hutson.

4. Our Bible Reading. J. Hutson

5. Peace, Perfect Peace. J. Hutson.

6. Training of the Twig, Draw-
bridge. J. Hutson.

The first five are ready in Mandarin.
The others, by Rev. F. B. Meyer, will
be very welcome.

Missionary News.

Wylie Memorial Church,
Liaoyang.

Our readers will be interested
in the picture ou opposite page
for several rea.sous. It is built
in memory of the Rev. James A.
Wylie, who died on the i6th
August, 1894, from wounds in-
flicted on him by Manchu sol-
diers, who had previously wreck-
ed his chapel. Mr. Wylie' s
father devoted the compensation
paid by the Chinese government
to the erection of this Memorial
Church, which should further

the work of the Mission. After
many vicissitudes, of which the
Boxer troubles were not the
least, this purpose is now accom-
plished.

In the Missionary Record of
the U. F. Church of Scotland
we read : —

" In February, on the first Sabbath
of the Chinese year, we opened the
new church, and had the joy of seeing
it crammed at the first service. The
day will be a memorable one in the
future history of Liaoyang. The
church is a martyr's memorial. It is
nearly thirteen years since Wylie fell
on the High Street here, and it is an
old story now how his father took

286

The Chinese Recorder

[May

the Christian way of avenging his
son's death by the gift of a church
in his place. This ' Wylie Memorial '
■will now go down to many genera-
tions as a monument of Christian
forgiveness ; its bell thereby tolls the
right ring of the Gospel to the city at
every stroke. Alas ! Mr. Wylie, se-
nior j ex-provost of Hamilton, was not
spared to see the completion of the
work. ; the heavy blow in August, 1894,
left a permanent mark upon him, and
last year he too passed away, twelve
years after his son — both of them
respected, nay, loved, by all who
knew them.

" The church, which was designed
by Mr. M'Clure Anderson, has been
pronounced by an architect of repute
to be the finest piece of ecclesiastical
architecture in North China. It is
cruciform, and holds comfortably a
congregation of six hundred and fifty ;
the men occupying the nave and the
women the transepts, in accordance
with Chinese ideas of propriety."

The Conference and Union.
A Striking Comment

The Spectator, which as most
of our readers will know, is by
far the most influential of the
weekly papers that hold so
unique a place in English journal-
ism, devotes one of the special
articles in the issue of February
15th to a discussion of "China
and Christianity." The occasion
of the article was the publication
of the report of the China Mis-
sions Emergency Committee in
the February number of the
ConteiJiporary Review. We take
the following extracts from that
article : —

" The awakening of China, of which
a good deal has been said and written
lately, is a stronger challenge to mis-
sionaries than perhaps to any other
body of men. Now is their opportu-
nity. Suppose that, with the gradual
adoption of Western ideas, the un-
numbered masses of China were to
embrace the noblest spiritual aspira-
tion of the West? If we do not
misread this Report, such a thing is
thinkable, and even possible. The
population of China is estimated at
three hundred millions ; if that im-

mense nation declared itself Christian,
its conversion would be one of the
stupendous events in hi.story, compar-
able with the Christianizing of the
Roman Empire by Constantine. . . .
One of the first remarks to attract our
curiosity in the Report is on the
"great influence" Japan is exercis-
ing, and is likely to exercise, in the
development of China. We wonder
what the eflfect of that influence will
be in a religious sense— whether it
will be consciously or unconsciously
hostile to Christianity — and we wish
more had been said on tlie subject.
At the Shanghai Conference the Sub-
Committee were impressed by the
gracious unity of spirit in the deli-
berations, although fifty different
societies were represented and vital
questions were discussed which neces-
sarily provoked a variety of opinion.
The truth is that the Conference made
up its mind to manifest in the
presence of the Christian converts
the practical identity of the Western
Evangelical Churches. The ultimate
purpose of the Conference was to
found a United Native Chinese Church,
and to that notable end the least the
historial groups of Western Christian-
ity could do was to lay aside their
differences. It was the least they
could do, we say, if they intended to
deserve success ; and yet a success like
theirs is unfortunately not so often
achieved that we can omit to call
attention to it, and to congratulate
the delegates. It seems a first princi-
ple of Christian conduct that sub-
stantial unity should be di.splayed in
the face of inquirers and doubters,
who seize upon the dissensions and
contradictions of evangelists only too
readily ; but we remember no resolu-
tion more satisfactory than that of
the Shanghai Conference, which de-
clared : — "That this Conference un-
animously holds the Scriptures of the
Old and New Testaments as the
supreme standard of faith and practice,
and holds firmly the primitive Apos-
tolic faith ; further, while acknowledg-
ing the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene
Creed as substantially expressing the
fundamental doctrines of the Chris-
tian faith, the Conference does not
adopt any creed as a basis of church
unity and leaves confessional ques-
tions to the judgment of the Chinese
Church for future consideration, yet
in view of our knowledge of each
other's doctrinal symbols, history,
work, and character, we gladly re-
cognise ourselves as already one body,
teaching one way of eternal life. , . . .

[1908

Missionary News

287

We frankly recoj^nise tliat we differ
as to metliods of afltninistrntion and
church government ; and that some
amonjj us differ from others as to the
administration of baptism; and that
tliere are some differences as to the
statement of the doctrine of Pre-
destination or the Election of Grace.
But we unite in holding that these
exceptions do not invalidate the
assertion of our real unity in our
common witness to the Gospel of the
Grace of God. " Could anything be
better said? Quite apart from the
special circumstances, that is a resolu-
tion for which all Christians may feel
devoutly thankful. It shows that,
after all, a real sense of Christian
comprehension is growing up, at any
rate in the various Reformed, Pro-
testant, and Presbyterian Churches.
It is an absolute negation of that
sectional and anti - comprehensive
spirit which at home has given so
much cause for distress and alarm in
the course of the campaign against
simple and fundamental Christian
teaching in State schools.

The Conference looked forward
clearly and boldly to the practical
independence of the Native Christian
Church from the Western Churches
which created it It would have self-
government, and a definite recom-
mendation was made that a "Chris-
tian Fedeiation of China" should be
founded as a co-ordinating body to
draw all the existing Protestant
societies closer together. Of course,
the missionaries can do little without
support from home, and the Report
is not least of all an appeal. The
penetration of China by Western
thought is becoming a fact ; but
Western thought without Christianity,
which is always a moderating force,
leads to impatient and violent revolu-
tions against the established order of
things. The situation in China is in
that sense a crisis as well as a great
opportunity. Ideas should not be
allowed to outstrip religion.

Chinese Conditions in
Hawaii

BY REV. E. W. THWING.

The Chinese in Hawaii hold an
important position, not only in their
development, but also in their pos-
sible inQueuce on China. Here a

large body of young Chinese are
being educatet and trained along
American ideals of living. Many of
them will undoubtedly return to
China and be able to assist in the
development and uplifting of their
own land.

The following facts, taken from a
letter, sent by me in March, to H E.
Wu Ting-fang, Chinese Ambassador
at Washington, will give some idea of
the character and present condition
of the Chinese now in the Hawaiian
Islands : —

CHINESE GOOD CHARACTER.

There is nothing in the nature and
character of the Cliinese, when allow-
ed a kind and fair treatment, and an
American education and develop-
ment, to prevent their becoming good
and valuable American citizens In
proof thereof we submit the results
of the fifty years' residence of the
Chinese in Hawaii a people of exactly
the same class, and from the same
localities, as the Chinese who have
gone to California. The undersigned,
after twenty years' work among the
Chinese, in America and in China,
with a knowledge of their language,
their literature, their ideals, and the
country homes from which they come,
and having spent seven years in
charge of the Chinese work through-
out the Hawaiian Islands, can testify
to their assimilating characteristics. It
is true that the Chinese in Honolulu
and Hawaii present a definite and
unanswerable demonstration of the
fact that many of the laboring classes
of Chinese who come to our shores,
with favorable treatment, can and
will Ijecome a real part of the great
American people, with true American
ideas, ideals, and ambitions, with a
home and family life like our own,
a credit to themselves and to the
nation. In Hawaii to-day can be
found scores of Chinese American
homes, where the children all sp^ak
English, where the home life is
bright and beautiful and arranged on
American plans. The Chinese are, on
every side, declared to be among the
brightest and most faithful students
among those in the schools and
colleges. Many are doing splendid
work in oflSces and banks. More
than four hundred Chinese men enjoy
the rights and privileges of American
citizenship, some belonging to the
young men's political clubs, to the
Knights of Pythias and other or-
ganizations.

288

The Chinese Recorder

[May

MORE CHINESE FOR HAWAII.

"What these islands need is more
Chinese laborers to fully man the
plantations and bring greater pro-
sperity to Hawaii. Is it just to allow
Korean, Japanese, Porto Rican or
Italian laborers to come into Hawaii,
and not the Chinese? They are quite
willing that America should have
exclusion laws and regulate or limit
foreign labor. But they insist, and
justly so, that the laws should apply
to all alike.

Nearly every Chinaman in Hawaii
will contribute to the movement to
secure fair treatment for China ! It
is the one subject discussed, not only
here in Honolulu, and on every plan-
tation, but in every port in China.
America can have no idea of the
tremendous antagonism she has been
stirring up slowly but surely during
the past twenty years. She does not
know the strength of the trade guilds
and Chinese hongs, and she seems to
have no realization of the stupendous
possibilities and opportunities she is
just throwing away.

Hawaii should be foremost in help-
ing to bring about justice and fair
treatment, and not only for China's
sake, but for her own future life and
prosperity. Is Hawaii to be a great
trade center of the Pacific, a future
Hongkong or Shanghai of America?
That depends upon whether America
secures a large part of China's trade
or not If we lose China, we lose the
Pacific trade.

THE CHINESE OF HAWAII.

The Chinese have been for many
years in Hawaii. In early times they
carried on an extensive trade in san-
dalwood with the chiefs, so that even
now the i.'^lands are known to all the
Chinese by the name of " Tan Henng
Shan " or Sandalwood Mountain.
Much of the development of the is-
lands, the sugar industry, the rice
plantations, has been due to these
steady working people. Although
since becoming a part of the United
States, their numbers have been de-
creasing, they are to-day one of the
best and most reliable classes of our
population.

Travelers from California have often
remarked that the Chinese of Hono-
lulu seem to be a better class, as a
rule, than those of San Francisco.
Why is it so ? They are exactly the
same kind of people as those in Cali
fornia, all coming from much the
same districts of South China. But

in Hawaii the Chinese have been
better treated, have been given a
fairer chance than on the mainland.
They have been protected and trusted,
and have as a rule well proved them-
selves worthy of the kindly feeling
extended to them. If you should
visit among the Chinese Christian
homes of Honolulu to-day, you would
find many of the brightest, pleasantest
and in every way quite American
homes.

THE OPPORTUNITY.

Nowhere else in all America's wide
territory, from Boston to the Philip-
pine Islands, is there a better oppor-
tunity for reaching her Chinese than
here in Hawaii. And I say •' her
Chinese." for America should look
upon them as her own people, just as
much as those who come from other
lands. And here in Hawaii, more
than anywhere else, are many Chi-
nese proud to claim American citizen-
ship, because they have been treated
well, and not as strangers and aliens.
With some 2,000 Chinese children in
our schools, what a grand oppor-
tunity there is of training up and
developing young Chinese men and
women, who may one day be a power
in China.

AMERICA'S DUTY.

In God's wise providence, Hawaii,
that brightest jewel of the ocean, has
been given to America. Shall she
not do for Hawaii and for Hawaii's
children the very best in her power ?
Here in this land, as it were, the hand
of Christian America is reaching far
out over the Pacific Ocean toward the
Empire of China. May it be a hand
of friendship and helpfulness, to
beckon China " Onward and Upward."

A Notable Native Confer-
ence

The second annual native con-
ference of the China Tibetan
Border Mission of the C. and M.
A. was held at Minchow, Kan-
suh, January 4- 11.

Preparation for these meetings
had been made in all the stations
by months of prayer. The
Christians came from these bor-
der towns with great expecta-

1908]

Missionary News

289

tions, which were not disappoint-
ed. Most of the visitors were
farmers — many of these illiterate
— the rest artisans and a few
literary men. The Titao con-
tingent were four and six days
covering the distance of 300 //,
and it must have been wearisome
to those unused to walking long
distances, for only one could
afford to ride. It took one
old ex-military officer of Titao
ten days to do the journey, but
he came, expecting a blessing,
and went home with a new and
wonderful experience. Solid
spiritual food had been prepared,
and this was as much relished
as in a congregation of advanced
Christians in the homelands, for
although our Christians — many
of them — have so recently ' ' turn-
ed to God from idols," yet we
have found among them, as we
have spent months in preparation
by prayer, the same hungering
that we find at home for the
"deep things of God." The
book of Romans became special-
ly the text-book during these
meetings. The mornings were
devoted to teaching and explana-
tion, and afternoons practical
application of the truth taught
was made. A few of the native
brethren led meetings ; all were
given an opportunity to testify
in the evangelistic meetings.
These testimonies were very im-
pressive and contributed towards
the excellent results in the after-
meetings. Four and five hun-
dred people would crowd into the
chapel, which is only 36 x 26 feet.
The young men of the church
were indefatigable in bringing
their friends to the meetings,
and afterwards when the oppor-
tunity was given, helping them
look to the Lord. Almost every
night there would be a dozen or
more — one evening as many as
twenty — on their knees around

the platform confessing sin, ac-
cepting Christ, and afterwards
testifying to having received par-
don and peace. The meetings
were in no respect different from
revival services in the States.
Our conservatism has been
thrown to the winds, as we came
to realize that our methods may
or may not be different from
those employed at home, yet if
the Holy Spirit is present to con-
vict, the result will be the same.
Many of these new converts had
heard the Gospel for the last ten
years, but others had heard very
little, and there were two or
three cases where conviction
came after hearing for the first
time.

There were remarkable cases
of conversion, and some who had
been notorious sinners in Min-
chow, became joyful believers

Coming forward and thus pub-
licly confessing sin and pro-
fessing faith in Christ was very
spontaneous. Many were ready
to take this step as soon as the
invitation was given. Both Tibe-
tans and Moslems mingled with
the Chinese in the audience.
One old follower of the " false
prophet" knelt with the rest of
the Chinese around one common
mercy-seat. Thus over seventy
professed faith in the Lord during
the meetings, besides the many
who have been touched in their
homes and the hundreds who
have been indirectly influenced
through this movement. (The
writer has just had word from
the residing missionary at Min-
chow, who writes that a large
proportion of those who profess-
ed conversion during the con-
ference have come to the in-
quirers' meetings).

Minchow has been thoroughly
stirred for once. This has also,
of course, aroused a great deal of
opposition. A tailor was con-

290

The Chinese Recorder

[May

verted in one of these meetings,
but his wife, when he went
home that night and told her,
flew into a rage and began to
smash up the furniture with an
axe. The next day she follow-
ed her husband to the chapel,
having previously hidden a long
knife up her sleeve, with the
intention, as she said afterw^ards,
of first killing her husband and
then herself, if he should pray
or speak. Nothing happened
in the morning service, and when
she went to the afternoon meet-
ing, still carrying the knife, she
came under strong conviction,
went home and wept bitterly and
that night decided to serve and
worship the God of her hus-
band.

A seventeen-year old boy who
had been a terror to the city
people because of a propensit}' to
throw stones on peoples' houses
and smash the tiles on the roofs,
became also converted, and was
so happy afterwards, going
around with his New Testament.
Many of the little ones also
turned to the Lord. Their testi-
monies of conviction of sin were
remarkable.

One little boy, twelve years
old, had already gone to bed, but
being under conviction for sin,
had to dress and come to the
chapel, where he knelt with the
others, and afterwards boldly
testified to believing in Jesus,
and to having received the for-
giveness of sins.

But perhaps the most remark-
able of all was the conversion of
one of the former leaders of the
Kolaohuei, who four years ago,
after the uprising in Minchow,
was sentenced to death, but
finally pardoned. After his com-
ing out that night and publicly
professing this new religion, he
told us how the Holy Spirit had
led. He had been in the coun-

try a few days before, but for
some unaccountable reason he
was restless, and fearing some-
thing was wrong with his family,
he returned to the city. He
found all well, but that very
evening, while drinking with
some friends, the above mention-
ed young man came along and
said that there were five foreign
teachers at the "Gospel Hall,"
and that the " Gate of Heaven "
was open. Telling his friends
that he " would like to see what
the Gate of Hea